The Relationship Between BMI Categories and Adult Diabetes Prevalence Across Countries With Different Income Classifications

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is a growing global health concern, with obesity and socio-economic factors contributing to differences in disease prevalence between populations.

Body mass index has a strong relationship to diabetes and insulin resistance; in obese individuals, the amount of fatty acids, glycerol, and other substances involved in the development of insulin resistance is increased. This study investigated the relationship between country-level BMI categories and adult diabetes prevalence (as a proxy for T2DM prevalence) across countries with different income classifications. The findings statistically suggest that country-level BMI patterns and income classifications are associated with differences in diabetes prevalence, although the use of country-level data limits causal and individual interpretations.

Nevertheless, the findings suggest that the positive correlation between obesity and diabetes occurrence can be altered by socioeconomic factors, thus warranting further studies that explore the intersection of biological and socioeconomic factors in the likelihood of incurring chronic diseases.