Obesity is a major risk factor for diabetes. In fact, according to the U.S. Centre for Disease Control and Prevention, the rate of Type 2 Diabetes has tripled in the last 30 years as a direct result of the global obesity epidemic. Being overweight puts added pressure on the body's ability to properly control blood sugar using insulin and therefore makes it much more likely for you to develop diabetes. Losing weight, then, is a crucial step, in lessening one’s likelihood of becoming diabetic.