Risk of obesity in type II diabetes mellitus.

The obvious syntropy of obesity and type II (non-insulin dependent) diabetes mellitus has always suggested a causal inter-relationship between the two diseases. However, the actual pathophysiological connection still remains to be elucidated. Recent findings have suggested that insulin resistance and hyperinsulinaemia might link glucose intolerance/type II diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hyperlipoproteinaemia in the context of a hypothetical 'syndrome X' characterized by an excessive risk constellation for the development of atherosclerosis. However, as to the practical consequences of the ('diabesity') syndrome of type II diabetes mellitus and structured programmes for effective therapy, very little new information has been gathered during the past 100 years.