Issue 115 Item 14 Medication Improves Fat Distribution in Diabetes

Less abdominal fat even with weight gain. Drug treatment can reduce abdominal fat in people with type 2 diabetes, according to a new study.

Researchers at the University of Texas have been looking into the effect that the drug pioglitazone has on people with type 2 diabetes. They studied 13 people with the condition, who took the drug for 16 weeks.

After this time body weight had, on the whole, gone up. But measurements revealed an interesting redistribution of body fat, despite the overall weight increase. There was less of the abdominal fat that is known to be a health hazard. Instead, subcutaneous fat went up. At the same time, insulin sensitivity and control of blood sugar was increased – both of which really benefits the medical condition of those who have diabetes. Source Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism June 2002