title: Persistence of the effect of birth size on dysglycaemia and type 2 diabetes in old age: AGES-Reykjavik Study.
abstract: We studied the effect of birth size on glucose and insulin metabolism among old non-diabetic individuals. We also explored the combined effect of birth size and midlife body mass index (BMI) on type 2 diabetes in old age. Our study comprised 1,682 Icelanders whose birth records included anthropometrical data. The same individuals had participated in the prospective population-based Reykjavik Study, where BMI was assessed at a mean age of 47 years, and in the AGES-Reykjavik Study during 2002 to 2006, where fasting glucose, insulin and HbA1c were measured and homeostasis model assessment for the degree of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) calculated at a mean age of 75.5 years. Type 2 diabetes was determined as having a history of diabetes, using glucose-modifying medication or fasting glucose of >7.0 mmol/l. Of the participants, 249 had prevalent type 2 diabetes in old age. Lower birth weight and body length were associated with higher fasting glucose, insulin, HOMA-IR and HbA1c among old non-diabetic individuals. Higher birth weight and ponderal index at birth decreased the risk for type 2 diabetes in old age, odds ratio (OR), 0.61 [95 % confidence interval (CI), 0.48-0.79] and 0.96 (95 % CI, 0.92-1.00), respectively. Compared with those with high birth weight and low BMI in midlife, the odds of diabetes was almost five-fold for individuals with low birth weight and high BMI (OR, 4.93; 95 % CI, 2.14-11.37). Excessive weight gain in adulthood might be particularly detrimental to the health of old individuals with low birth weight.
authors.affiliation: Laboratory of Epidemiology, Demography and Biometry, Intramural Research Program, National Institute on Aging, Bethesda, MD, USA. mikaela.vonbonsdorff@jyu.fi
authors.forename: Mikaela B
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: von Bonsdorff
authors.forename: Majon
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Muller
authors.forename: Thor
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Aspelund
authors.forename: Melissa
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Garcia
authors.forename: Gudny
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Eiriksdottir
authors.forename: Taina
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Rantanen
authors.forename: Ingibjörg
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Gunnarsdottir
authors.forename: Bryndis Eva
authors.initials: BE
authors.lastname: Birgisdottir
authors.forename: Inga
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Thorsdottir
authors.forename: Gunnar
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sigurdsson
authors.forename: Vilmundur
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Gudnason
authors.forename: Lenore
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Launer
authors.forename: Tamara B
authors.initials: TB
authors.lastname: Harris
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001724:Birth Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000097:blood* / Q000453:epidemiology; D018450:Disease Progression; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006801:Humans; D007055:Iceland / Q000453:epidemiology; D015994:Incidence; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood*; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011159:Population Surveillance / Q000379:methods*; D011446:Prospective Studies; D015430:Weight Gain
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin