Temporal association between body weight and type 2 diabetes at the population level

Larger body size is strongly associated with type 2 diabetes, but the mechanisms linking the two remain uncertain. Proposed explanations include shared genetic susceptibility, effects of fat storage capacity and fat distribution, early-life influences, social and environmental factors, and reverse causation through insulin resistance affecting weight. We aim to clarify the timing and interplay of overweight, obesity, and type 2 diabetes at the population level.