A few extra pounds may actually be good for people with type 1 diabetes.
According to researchers who measured a key marker of heart health in people with this form of the disease, which is most often diagnosed in childhood, those who were heavier came out with better results.
Specifically, they had less evidence of coronary artery calcification — a primary factor in hardening of the arteries — than people who were leaner. Hardening of the arteries is a leading risk factor for heart disease and heart attacks.
The finding flies in the face of conventional wisdom, which says heavier people are at higher risk for heart problems due to higher cholesterol levels, higher blood pressure, and other conditions linked to heart disease.
But these researchers have an explanation for their results: it could be the extra pounds simply reflect better insulin treatment, and that could mean an overall healthier person.
So, should people with type 1 diabetes start tanking up on high calorie foods? The investigators hedge their bets on that one.
“This is not a firm recommendation to people with type 1 diabetes to put on weight, but it does raise the possibility that weight recommendations in type 1 diabetes may be somewhat different than those for the general population, and emphasizes the complex relationship between body fat and cardiovascular risk in diabetes,” study author Trevor Orchard, M.D., from the University of Pittsburgh Graduate School of Public Health, was quoted as saying.
The study was conducted among 315 patients who underwent CT scans to measure coronary artery calcification.
SOURCE: Presented at the American Diabetes Association Scientific Sessions in Chicago, June 22-26, 2007