A new study led by Curtin University has found that the risk of type 2 diabetes is influenced not only by body weight but also by muscle health, suggesting that preserving muscle mass could play a key role in diabetes prevention.
Published in one of the world’s leading diabetes journals, the research analysed health data from nearly 480,000 adults over 14 years, all of whom were diabetic free at the start of the study. Researchers focused on people with sarcopenic obesity, characterised by both excess body fat and reduced muscle mass.
The findings showed that people with sarcopenic obesity were more than three-and-a-half times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than people with healthy body composition. People with obesity and low muscle mass are at higher risk of developing the disease. They are 19% more likely to get the disease than those with obesity alone and 91% more likely than those with low muscle mass but without obesity.
Lead author Zhongyang Guan said the results challenge the long-held belief that diabetes risk is driven primarily by excess body weight. Instead, the study suggests that maintaining muscle strength and muscle mass should become an important part of assessing and reducing diabetes risk.
Researchers found that around 15% of people with sarcopenic obesity developed type 2 diabetes within 10 years, compared with 11% of those with obesity alone and 3% of people with low muscle mass but without obesity. The association was particularly strong among women and adults under 60.
The researchers say regular physical activity, including strength-building exercise, can help preserve muscle mass, improve insulin sensitivity, and reduce the risk of developing type 2 diabetes as obesity rates continue to rise
