Pancreatic fat in type 2 diabetes: Causal or coincidental?

Core Tip

Core Tip: The concomitant rise in the incidences of obesity and type-2 diabetes (T2D) has increased interest in understanding the role of pancreatic fat accumulation or pancreatic steatosis in causing T2D. In the past few years, various researchers have attempted to decipher whether pancreatic fat has any causative role in the pathogenesis of T2D. While a few cross-sectional and retrospective studies have shown a positive association between pancreatic fat and T2D, there is a lack of well-controlled, prospective, and long-term follow-up studies that could clearly establish the role of pancreatic fat in causing T2D. Therefore, in light of the presently available evidence, the role of pancreatic fat as an independent predictor of T2D must be interpreted with caution.