You write, "It is well known that obesity is a leading cause of diabetes...". No, it isn't. It is well known that obesity and diabetes are correlated. Even an entry-level statistics class would teach you that this does not prove that obesity causes diabetes. There is debate as to whether obesity is a cause or an early symptom of diabetes, or even whether other inflammatory factors may underpin the development of both. One possible culprit, with very strong associations with both obesity and diabetes, is socioeconomic status. Prejudice and stigma, of the kind perpetuated by lazy reporting like this, also contribute to inflammation - and exposure to this kind of treatment is associated by a significantly increased risk of diabetes, heart disease and hypertension. Chicken and egg!