Association of weight status with mortality in adults with incident diabetes

Mercedes R. Carnethon, Peter John D. De Chavez, Mary L. Biggs, Cora E. Lewis, James S. Pankow, Alain G. Bertoni, Sherita H. Golden, Kiang Liu, Kenneth J. Mukamal, Brenda Campbell-Jenkins, Alan R. Dyer

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

450 Scopus citations

Abstract

Context: Type 2 diabetes in normal-weight adults (body mass index [BMI] <25) is a representation of the metabolically obese normal-weight phenotype with unknown mortality consequences. Objective: To test the association of weight status with mortality in adults with newonset diabetes in order to minimize the influence of diabetes duration and voluntary weight loss on mortality. Design, Setting, and Participants: Pooled analysis of 5 longitudinal cohort studies: Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study, 1990-2006; Cardiovascular Health Study, 1992-2008; Coronary Artery Risk Development in Young Adults, 1987-2011; Framingham Offspring Study, 1979-2007; and Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis, 2002-2011. A total of 2625 participants with incident diabetes contributed 27 125 personyears of follow-up. Included were men and women (age >40 years) who developed incident diabetes based on fasting glucose 126 mg/dL or greater or newly initiated diabetes medication and who had concurrent measurements of BMI. Participants were classified as normal weight if their BMI was 18.5 to 24.99 or overweight/obese if BMI was 25 or greater. Main Outcome Measures: Total, cardiovascular, and noncardiovascular mortality. Results: The proportion of adults who were normal weight at the time of incident diabetes ranged from 9% to 21% (overall 12%). During follow-up, 449 participants died: 178 from cardiovascular causes and 253 from noncardiovascular causes (18 were not classified). The rates of total, cardiovascular, and noncardiovascular mortality were higher in normal-weight participants (284.8, 99.8, and 198.1 per 10 000 personyears, respectively) than in overweight/obese participants (152.1, 67.8, and 87.9 per 10 000 person-years, respectively). After adjustment for demographic characteristics and blood pressure, lipid levels, waist circumference, and smoking status, hazard ratios comparing normal-weight participants with overweight/obese participants for total, cardiovascular, and noncardiovascular mortality were 2.08 (95% CI, 1.52-2.85), 1.52 (95% CI, 0.89-2.58), and 2.32 (95% CI, 1.55-3.48), respectively. Conclusion: Adults who were normal weight at the time of incident diabetes had higher mortality than adults who are overweight or obese.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)581-590
Number of pages10
JournalJAMA
Volume308
Issue number6
DOIs
StatePublished - Aug 8 2012

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Association of weight status with mortality in adults with incident diabetes'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this