A new study, performed at the University of Iowa, published in the journal, mBio, and reported by Medical News Today, medicalnewstoday.com/articles/294712.php, suggests more evidence of the strong link between carrying excess weight and type 2 diabetes. While it is known that fat cells contribute to the development of diabetes by changing the metabolism and increasing chronic inflammation, the new study adds more credence to the association between obesity and diabetes by suggesting that those who carry excess weight are more likely to develop infection, increasing the progression of type 2 diabetes. This infection is likely due to staph bacteria on the skin, which produces superantigens that disrupt the immune system, cause inflammation and lead to insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes by interacting with excess fat cells. The theory is that the more overweight a person is, the more likely they are to have larger than normal amounts of staph bacteria on their skin.