Diabetes Q&A

BMI Changes Significantly Affect Diabetes Risk

Weight loss from young adulthood to middle age reduces a person’s risk for diabetes by nearly 70%, according to results of a new study.

Using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), the researchers assessed the lifetime risk for diabetes in the context of changes in body mass index (BMI).

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Adults aged 40 to 74 years were categorized as those who remained nonobese (stable nonobese), those who moved from an obese BMI to a nonobese BMI (losing), those who moved from a nonobese BMI to an obese BMI (gaining), and those who remained obese (stable obese).

Participants reported diabetes status and age at onset.

Over 10 years of follow-up, the researchers found that participants who were obese and lost weight had a significantly lower risk for diabetes than those with stable obesity. Participants in the stable nonobese and gaining categories also exhibited lower risk.

“If those who were obese had become nonobese during the 10-year period, we estimate that 9.1% of observed diabetes cases could have been averted, and if the population had maintained a normal BMI during the period, 64.2% of cases could have been averted,” the researchers write.

The researchers also note that more should be done to manage obesity in the United States.

“The findings from this study underscore the importance of population-level approaches to the prevention and treatment of obesity across the life course of individuals,” the researchers concluded.

—Amanda Balbi

Reference:

  1. Stokes A, Collins JM, Grant BF, et al. Obesity progression between young adulthood and midlife and incident diabetes: a retrospective cohort study of U.S. adults. Diab Care. 2018;41(5):1025-1031. https://doi.org/10.2337/dc17-2336.
  2. Obesity Progression Impact on Diabetes - Diabetes Care [news release]. Cincinnati, OH: Ethicon; May 1, 2018. https://www.ethicon.com/na/about-us/news-events/obesity-progression-impact-diabetes-diabetes-care. Accessed May 1, 2018.