"Despite notions to the contrary, size does matter to women-at least when it comes to her fat cells, her waist-to-height-ratio and her risk for type 2 diabetes," said Gerald Weissmann, M.D., Editor-in-Chief of the FASEB Journal. "This is a remarkable study that should lead to preventive measures for this most common of serious diseases."

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, type 2 diabetes may account for 90 to 95 percent of all diagnosed cases of diabetes. The disease begins as insulin resistance, and as the need for insulin rises, the pancreas gradually loses its ability to produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes often is associated with older age, but is increasingly being diagnosed in children. Obesity, family history of diabetes, history of gestational diabetes, impaired glucose metabolism, physical inactivity, and race/ethnicity also play a role in whether or not someone develops the disease. In particular, African Americans, Hispanic/Latino Americans, American Indians/Native Americans, and some Asian Americans and Native Hawaiians or Other Pacific Islanders are at high risk for type 2 diabetes.

Source: Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology