Which is the leading cause of adult-onset diabetes worldwide?

Obesity is recognized as the leading cause of adult-onset diabetes, particularly type 2 diabetes, worldwide. The relationship between obesity and diabetes is well-established; excess body fat, especially visceral fat, contributes to insulin resistance. This means that the body's cells become less responsive to insulin, leading to elevated blood glucose levels.

Moreover, the prevalence of obesity has increased significantly in recent decades due to lifestyle changes, including sedentary behavior and poor dietary practices, making it a central factor in the diabetes epidemic. Maintaining a healthy weight through balanced nutrition and regular physical activity is widely promoted as a preventive measure against the development of diabetes.

While factors like lack of exercise, genetic predisposition, and high sugar diets contribute to the risk of diabetes, obesity fundamentally underpins these issues. Obesity is often the result of low physical activity and poor dietary choices, illustrating how interconnected these factors can be. However, focusing on obesity highlights the primary modifiable risk factor that can dramatically influence the incidence of adult-onset diabetes on a population level.