Being overweight, if not obese, is an issue that has long been associated with type 2 diabetes. That's not to say that carrying an excessive amount of weight should not be of concern to those with type 1, but the risk factors associated with obesity were never as clearly defined as they now may be.

According to a study, conducted by researchers at the University of Washington and published in the January Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, obesity may be a risk factor for the development of diabetic kidney disease in people living with type 1.

After analyzing data collected from the Diabetes Control and Complications Trial (DCCT) on almost 1,300 patients with type 1, the researchers involved in this new study were able to determine that central obesity -- measured in terms waist circumference -- had an affect on he risk of kidney disease. Specifically, the researchers found that those individuals with type 1 and central obesity had greater chances of developing microalbuminuria (small amounts of the protein albumin) in their urine, which is the first sign of diabetic kidney failure. Further, it seems as though the larger the person's waist, the greater the risk of running into kidney problems. In fact, this risk was quantified by the researchers; for each 4 inches above what is considered a healthy waistline, a person's risk of developing microalbuminuria is increased by 34%. This association remained constant after other risk factors were controlled for, including intense insulin therapy.