Body composition in young female adults with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. A prospective case-control study.
OBJECTIVE
Overweight is common during late puberty in female patients with Type 1 diabetes. The aim of this study was to examine the change in body composition from late puberty to early adulthood in such female patients in comparison with age-matched control subjects.


METHODS
Eighteen females with Type 1 diabetes and 19 healthy female control subjects were recruited for a case-control study at the age of 16-19 years (baseline). Six years later, 16 of the diabetic females and 17 of the control subjects were re-examined (follow-up). Body composition was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry.


RESULTS
Body mass index (BMI) and fat mass index (total fat mass/height2) were significantly higher at baseline in the diabetic patients than in the control subjects (26.4 +/- 2.6 vs. 23.9 +/- 3.7 kg/m2, P < 0.05, and 10.0 +/- 2.4 vs. 8.0 +/- 2.8 kg/m2, P = 0.04, respectively). At follow-up, these parameters still tended to be higher in the diabetic group (27.8 +/- 4.9 vs. 24.6 +/- 5.7 kg/m2, P = 0.09, and 11.8 +/- 5.6 vs. 8.7 +/- 4.9 kg/m2, P = 0.05, respectively). BMI at baseline was strongly correlated to BMI at follow-up in both diabetic patients (r = 0.60; P < 0.05) and control subjects (r = 0.83; P < 0.01).


CONCLUSIONS
Increased fat mass in pubertal girls with Type 1 diabetes seems to persist in young adulthood. This study emphasizes the need for new strategies to prevent the development of overweight during puberty in diabetic girls.
Särnblad
S
S
Department of Pediatrics, Orebro University Hospital, örebro, Sweden. stefan.samblad@webaid.nu
Ingberg
C M
CM
Aman
J
J
Schvarcz
E
E
D015502:Absorptiometry, Photon / Q000379:methods; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight / Q000187:drug effects*; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003922:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 1 / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D011446:Prospective Studies