title: The association of lifetime weight and weight control patterns with diabetes among men and women in an adult community.
abstract: We examined the association of degree and duration overweight, dietary habits and exercise with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus risk in a defined population of 886 men and 1114 women who were aged 50 years and older when examined in 1984-1987. After an oral glucose tolerance test, 142 men and 142 women were classified as diabetic using WHO criteria. Compared to those with appropriate childhood weight, reported underweight as a child significantly increased the rate of diabetes as an adult (RR = 1.3, P less than 0.05). Underweight as a teenager was also associated with an increased rate (RR = 1.3, P less than 0.05). Underweight as a teenager was also associated with an increased rate (RR = 1.4, P less than 0.01). In adults with current body mass indices (weight/height2) greater than 26, the diabetes rate was significantly higher for those underweight as children (RR = 1.7, P less than 0.01). A multivariate logistic regression analysis of adult diet and weight behaviors, adjusting for age and current smoking, found that a weight gain or fluctuation between the ages of 40 and 60 of 10 lbs or more significantly increased the diabetes rate (RR = 1.4, P less than 0.05; RR = 1.7, P less than 0.01). Weight gain between age 18 and the 1984-1987 visit also significantly increased the rate (RR = 1.4 per 17.3 percent, P less than 0.001). Exercise as the only means to control weight was associated with a significantly reduced diabetes rate (RR = 0.05, P less than 0.05).
authors.affiliation: Department of Community & Family Medicine, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla 92093-0607.
authors.forename: T L
authors.initials: TL
authors.lastname: Holbrook
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Barrett-Connor
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Wingard
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000209:etiology*; D015444:Exercise; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity; D012307:Risk Factors; D015431:Weight Loss