Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are the leading cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. In 2015, NCDs accounted for 70.1% of the global deaths [1]. Even in low and middle income countries like Tanzania, NCDs are now contributing to 34% of all deaths compared to 10% in the early 80s [1]. In 2014, World Health Organization (WHO) estimated 39 and 13% of adults (18 years and old) in the world being overweight and obese respectively [2]. Diabetes, the most common endocrine disorder, was estimated to affect 9% of adults worldwide [2]. Type 2 diabetes accounted for 90% of all diabetes cases globally [2].
A considerable amounts of literature have shown obesity to be a major modifiable risk factor for type 2 diabetes [3,4,5,6]. Moreover, overweight and obesity have been associated with profound health consequences including hypertension, hyperglycaemia, dyslipidaemia, coronary artery disease, cardiovascular diseases, cerebrovascular diseases, osteoarthritis, gallbladder diseases, respiratory tract diseases as well as psychological and emotional distress [7,8,9]. Overweight and obesity has further been linked with poor control of blood pressure, cholesterol and blood glucose levels among individuals with type 2 diabetes [10].
In Tanzania, there were estimated more than 822,800 cases of diabetes in 2015. The country recorded about 17,698 adult’s deaths due to diabetes in 2015 [11]. Despite high diabetes morbidity and mortality, the government has allocated funding for only diabetes treatment and prevention of secondary complications in public facilities. No funds for prevention and diagnosis are available with limited self-management education provided in the country [11]. The national diabetes and NCDs strategic plan has been developed since 2008. However, it has partially been implemented and currently in revision [11].
Weight loss among patients with type 2 diabetes has shown to provide beneficial impacts in treatment and control of metabolic parameters [12]. It is furthermore associated with a pronounced low cardiovascular risks among patients with type 2 diabetes [13]. Despite attending diabetic care, high proportion of type 2 diabetic individuals have been reported to be overweight or obese in different settings [14,15,16,17]. This increases risk of cardiovascular and microvascular diseases and mortality among type 2 diabetic individuals. In Tanzania, most of these patients after diagnosis are referred and attended in the districts, regional and tertiary care facilities whereby there is specialised diabetic care clinics. This is due to limited capacity of the primary care facilities in managing chronic diseases in the country. There is limited information on the prevalence of overweight and obese in people with type 2 diabetes who are attending specialized diabetic care clinics in northern Tanzania.