TIME, one of the most renowned and eldest magazines in the world, has published a long read on links between high blood pressure and Type 2 diabetes. It is not uncommon for high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes to occur together. Researchers are still attempting to pin down the exact cause, but they think excess weight could play a role. In addition to hypertension and Type 2 diabetes, obesity is associated with metabolic and endocrine problems that overlap and promote disease, according to some researchers. “Obesity seems to be fertile soil for both,” says Dr. Srinivasan Beddhu, Professor of internal medicine at the University of Utah School of Medicine.
People with hypertension and Type 2 diabetes often benefit from a combination of lifestyle changes and prescription drugs, as is the case with most common health conditions. According to Dr Mattias Brunstrom, a hypertension specialist and physician researcher at Umea University in Sweden, lifestyle changes are the cornerstone of all disease management. He emphasizes the relationship between hypertension and Type 2 diabetes and obesity, and the role excess weight plays in exacerbating a number of health complications. “Obesity or overweight is a huge driver of both these conditions, so weight management would be very crucial,” he says. “Diet, exercise—any way you can get your weight down is good.
