Why do Indians develop diabetes at a lower BMI

Résumé détaillé

Dr Nikil Tandan explains why South Asians develop type 2 diabetes at lower BMI levels. His analysis shifts attention from body weight to fat distribution and metabolic health.

But why are Indians more vulnerable to diabetes even when they do not appear overweight? According to leading endocrinologists, the answer may lie in the difference between body weight and body composition.

Explaining why South Asians are at a higher risk of diabetes, Dr Nikhil Tandan, an endocrinologist and diabetes specialist, says that Indians tend to have a higher diabetes risk at BMI levels that may not be associated with similar risks in other populations.

BMI measures weight in relation to height, but it does not tell us how much of that weight comes from muscle, bone or fat.

According to Dr Tandan, at similar BMI levels, South Asians tend to have a considerably higher proportion of body fat than Caucasian populations.

This means two people with the same BMI may have very different body compositions. An Indian individual may carry more body fat and have less muscle and skeletal mass, even if their weight appears normal.

Dr Tandan points out that South Asians tend to accumulate more fat around the abdomen. This is particularly concerning because abdominal fat, especially visceral fat stored around internal organs, is associated with metabolic problems and insulin resistance.

Insulin is the hormone that helps regulate blood glucose levels. When the body becomes resistant to insulin, the pancreas has to work harder to produce enough insulin to maintain normal blood sugar levels.

Over time, the body's ability to compensate may become inadequate, increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes.

This is why a person can appear relatively slim but still have an increased risk of metabolic complications.

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