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Sudden weight gain may not predict risk for type 2 diabetes
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Recent weight gain may not be an independent predictor of type 2 diabetes, recently published data in the Public Library of Science Medicine suggest.
Researchers from the Whitehall II cohort study reported that three patterns of obesity changes before a diagnosis of diabetes were joined by specific trajectories of insulin resistance and other cardiometabolic risk factors, according to data.
Also, many of the patients demonstrated modest weight gain before the diabetes diagnosis, according to Dorte Vistisen, MD, of the Steno Diabetes Center in Gentofte, Demark, and colleagues.
They examined 6,705 patients from the observational prospective cohort study of civil servants based in London.
After undergoing diabetes screenings every 5 years from 1991 to 2009 for 14.1 years, 645 patients (1,209 person-examinations) developed type 2 diabetes, and 6,060 (14,060 person-examinations) did not develop the disease, according to data.
Researchers identified three patterns of BMI changes: stable overweight, progressive weight gainers and persistently obese.
Most patients were categorized as being “stable overweight” (n=604; 94%). These patients demonstrated less beta-cell function and insulin sensitivity 5 years before diagnosis. Patients categorized as “progressive weight gainers” (n=15) displayed a consistent pattern of weight gain before diagnosis.
Patients in the “persistently obese” (n=26) group tended to be severely obese throughout the 18-year period before diabetes diagnosis. Beta-cell function was lost, while insulin sensitivity remained stable, according to researchers.
“In contrast to common belief, the great majority of patients diagnosed with diabetes did not have a substantial weight gain prior to diagnosis (stable overweight group). Their average obesity development was comparable to the reference group not developing diabetes, with a slightly higher initial BMI level of 1.2 kg/m2 and ending at 1.9 unit higher BMI level at time of diagnosis,” researchers wrote.
Disclosure: Two researchers report being employed by Steno Diabetes Center and owning shares in Novo Nordisk. One other researcher reports owning shares in Novo Nordisk.
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