Radiologists at Massachusetts General Hospital suggest that with a growing population of overweight people, the problem is getting worse.

The researchers assessed all radiology examinations carried out at the hospital between 1989 and 2003 in order to determine the effects of obesity on imaging quality and diagnosis.

They looked in particular for incomplete exams that carried the label "limited by body habitus," meaning limited in quality due to the patient size.

Incomplete examinations related to obesity can lead to serious consequences for the patient, as in the case of misdiagnosis or failure to be able to assign a diagnosis at all.

According to the Department of Health and Human Services an estimated 66 percent of adults in the United States are overweight, obese or morbidly obese, and more than 12.5 million children and adolescents are overweight.

Hospitals are struggling to cope and now require larger wheelchairs and beds while standard operating tables and imaging equipment are not suitable for obese patients.

Dr. Raul Uppot a radiologist at Massachusetts General Hospital believes that the prevailing lifestyle in the United States and other industrialized nations that facilitates a poor diet and lack of exercise has led to our current obesity crisis.

He says imprecise images caused by obesity have doubled over the past 15 years, and ultrasound images are affected the most.

Dr. Uppot says in the short term, the medical community must accommodate such patients by investing in technology to help them, but in the long term, the nation must make cultural shifts that promote more exercise and a healthier diet.

A vegan diet is plant-based and consists of vegetables, fruits, grains, and legumes and avoids animal products, such as meat and dairy and is low in added fat and in sugar.

As people on a vegan diet are at risk for vitamin B12 deficiency supplements were given to the participants on that diet.

The American Diabetes Association diet is more individually tailored and takes into account a patient's weight and cholesterol. The diet cuts calories significantly, and are patients are told to limit sugary and starchy foods.

For the study all 99 participants met weekly with advisers, who advised them on recipes, gave them tips for sticking to their respective diets, and offered encouragement.

The overall message seems to be that diets work if people stick to them for long enough and everyone diagnosed with diabetes needs to start eating more carefully which is probably the hardest aspect to deal with.

The researchers say the results show that both diets improved diabetes management and reduced unhealthy cholesterol levels, but some improvements were greater with the low-fat vegan diet.

The research is published in Diabetes Care, a journal published by the American Diabetes Association.