{"id":1428,"date":"2026-08-25T05:55:00","date_gmt":"2026-08-24T20:55:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/briefing\/2026-08-25-lean-african-diabetes-patterns-en\/"},"modified":"2026-08-25T05:55:00","modified_gmt":"2026-08-24T20:55:00","slug":"2026-08-25-lean-african-diabetes-patterns-en","status":"publish","type":"briefing","link":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/briefing\/2026-08-25-lean-african-diabetes-patterns-en\/","title":{"rendered":"Lean African adults with type 2 diabetes showed different complication patterns, and treatment still needs clinical trials."},"content":{"rendered":"

2026-08-25 05:55 KST<\/strong><\/p>\n

When analyzing 3,331 patients with type 2 diabetes living in Africa and Europe, retinopathy and stroke were more common in patients with a body mass index of less than 25, and high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease were more common in patients with overweight and obesity. The study was published in Diabetologia on August 23.<\/p>\n

You should not stop or change your current medication based on this result alone. Because it was a cross-sectional observational study combining existing data from different time points, the cause and optimal treatment could not be proven, and the researchers also stated that a clinical trial comparing treatment effects by body type was the next step.<\/p>\n

Who was compared?<\/h2>\n

The researchers combined two cohorts of adults of African descent living in Ghana, Nigeria, Kenya and Europe. There were 2,790 AADM and 541 RODAM, a total of 3,331 people. The thin group was divided into those with a body mass index of less than 25, and the comparison group was divided into those with a body mass index of 25 or more. Body mass index is not a test that completely shows an individual’s fat distribution.<\/p>\n

What difference did you see?<\/h2>\n

Retinal damage and stroke were reported more frequently in the thin group. High blood pressure and cardiovascular disease were more common in the overweight\/obese group. Chronic kidney disease was similar in both groups. Although much of this difference was linked to body fat mass, the results did not predict why a person would experience certain complications.<\/p>\n

\"Lean
This AI-generated image explains the topic; it is not a photograph of the actual event, observation, or experiment.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Why is it different from conventional wisdom?<\/h2>\n

In wealthy countries, type 2 diabetes is often explained by overweight and insulin resistance. However, it is estimated that approximately 40% of adults with type 2 diabetes in Africa have a body mass index of less than 25. There is existing research that suggests that in this population, the inability of the pancreas to make enough insulin may be more important than the problem of insulin resistance.<\/p>\n

What hasn’t been confirmed yet?<\/h2>\n

This paper did not test the effects of each drug. Nor were we able to fully isolate how factors such as poor nutrition, birth weight, and access to healthcare contributed to the outcomes. Body mass index standards also have limitations depending on the region and individual. Therefore, rather than confirming that a particular group is currently being treated incorrectly, this should be viewed as a signal that potential treatment discrepancies should be tested.<\/p>\n

What should individuals do?<\/h2>\n

It is important not to assume that just because you are thin you are not at risk for diabetes. If you are already diagnosed, you should regularly check your blood sugar, as well as your eyes, blood pressure, kidneys and cardiovascular risk. Medication changes should be decided with the medical team, and what is needed is randomized clinical trials directly comparing treatment strategies in thin and overweight patients.<\/p>\n

Primary sources and independent checks<\/h2>\n

Diabetologia original paper<\/a><\/p>\n

Amsterdam UMC research release<\/a><\/p>\n

LifeScience publication record<\/a><\/p>\n

MedicalXpress independent editorial check<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

In a study analyzing 3,331 African adults, retinopathy and stroke were more common in thin patients, and high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease were more common in overweight and obese patients. As this is a cross-sectional observational study, it is not a conclusion to change medications.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"featured_media":0,"template":"","meta":[],"class_list":["post-1428","briefing","type-briefing","status-publish","hentry"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/briefing\/1428","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/briefing"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/briefing"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/onepress.co.kr\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1428"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}