title: Weight maintenance from young adult weight predicts better health outcomes.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Defining groups of individuals within a larger population with similar patterns of weight change over time may provide insight into influences of weight stability or gain.
  
  
  METHODS
  Latent class growth modeling was used to define subgroups of weight change in adult members of the Gila River Indian Community participating in at least four non-diabetic health exams including OGTTs (N = 1,157, 762F/395M; 78.4 ± 19.0 kg). In a separate study, 152 individuals had 24-h EE measured in a respiratory chamber.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eight groups with baseline weights of 54.6 ± 7.3 (n = 124), 64.2 ± 7.7 (n = 267), 73.6 ± 7.8 (n = 298), 86.1 ± 10.2 (n = 194), 95.5 ± 6.7 (n = 90), 97.9 ± 10.4 (n = 92), 110.9 ± 11.9 (n = 61), and 122.1 ± 13.6 (n = 31) kg (P < 0.001) were delineated. Group 5, (initial weight = 95.5 ± 6.7 kg) maintained a comparatively stable weight over time (+3.3 ± 10.3 kg, +3.8 ± 11.2% of initial weight; median follow-up time: 13.1 years). All other groups gained weight over time (+29.9 ± 21.1% of initial weight; median follow-up time: 16.3 years). Higher starting weight defined weight gain in most groups, but higher 2 h glucose predicted membership in the lower weight trajectories. The weight stable group had higher rates of impaired glucose regulation at baseline and higher 24-h EE.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Weight in young adulthood defined weight gain trajectory underscoring the importance of intervening early to prevent weight gain.
authors.affiliation: Obesity and Diabetes Clinical Research Section, NIDDK/NIH/DHHS, Phoenix, Arizona, USA.
authors.forename: Susanne B
authors.initials: SB
authors.lastname: Votruba
authors.forename: Marie S
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Thearle
authors.forename: Paolo
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Piaggi
authors.forename: William C
authors.initials: WC
authors.lastname: Knowler
authors.forename: Robert L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Hanson
authors.forename: Jonathan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Krakoff
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000375:Aging / Q000378:metabolism; D001835:Body Weight / Q000502:physiology*; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D050177:Overweight / Q000175:diagnosis; D011379:Prognosis; D015430:Weight Gain / Q000502:physiology; D055815:Young Adult