Both obesity and diabetes rates are climbing. A recent study indicated the reason behind increased risk of type 2 diabetes for obese people.

The Australian and US research team found that a protein known as pigment epithelium-derived factor (PEDF) is the reason behind increased risk of obese individuals to various diseases.

PEDF is produced by fat cells; and the people who are overweight have higher levels of the protein in the bloodstream.

The researchers found that high blood levels of PEDF desensitize the muscle and liver to insulin, resulting in insulin resistance and the over production of insulin in the pancreas, hence resulting in type 2 diabetes.

Higher blood levels of PEDF also trigger the release of fats into the bloodstream which increases the risk of other complications, such as heart disease.

The researchers found that treatments designed to block the action of PEDF lowered the blood fat level and reversed some of insulin resistance in obese mice.

The researchers found that when obese mice lost weight, their PEDF levels fell; whereas lean mice injected with PEDF showed signs of developing insulin resistance and inflammation in both muscle and liver.