Effectiveness of weight loss in the elderly with type 2 diabetes mellitus.
We compared cardiovascular risk factors in younger and older patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus and higher than normal body mass index (BMI) and percentage of body fat (% BF) after a 1-yr weight-reduction program in order to clarify the benefits of weight loss in the overweight elderly. Groups of 52 younger and 50 older patients consumed low-calorie diets and participated in a simple moderate-intensity aerobic exercise program for 1 yr. At three times during the program (start, 6 months, 12 months), 10 measures were taken for each participant: BMI, total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), % BF, waist circumference (WC), fasting plasma glucose, hemoglobulin A1c (HbA1c), leptin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and adiponectin levels. While changes in BMI, TC and TG were evidently the same in both age groups (p-value: 0.11, 0.33, 0.70, respectively), raw figures for change in % BF, WC, fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, leptin, hs-CRP, and adiponectin values were significantly greater in the older group (p-value: 0.02, 0.01, 0.03, 0.04, 0.02, 0.01, 0.03 respectively). However, after adjusting for % BF and WC, these changes were no longer significant (p-values: 0.08, 0.07, 0.08, 0.06, 0.10, respectively), indicating that weight loss is equally beneficial for overweight patients with Type 2 diabetes in both age groups. Benefits were gained mainly through reduced body fat. Simple life-style modification of adding 20-min daily aerobic exercise and an adequate but restricted calorie diet is more effective in elderly diabetic patients.
Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Department of Internal Medicine, Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, Niao-Sung Hsiang, Kaohsiung Hsien, Taiwan.
C J
CJ
Hsieh
P W
PW
Wang
D052242:Adiponectin / Q000097:blood; D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000503:physiopathology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000503:physiopathology; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000150:complications*; D018752:Diet, Fat-Restricted; D005081:Exercise Therapy; D005215:Fasting; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D020738:Leptin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio; D015431:Weight Loss / Q000502:physiology*
D052242:Adiponectin; D001786:Blood Glucose; D020738:Leptin; D014280:Triglycerides; D002097:C-Reactive Protein; D002784:Cholesterol