Healthy lifestyle and normal waist circumference are associated with a lower 5-year risk of type 2 diabetes in middle-aged and elderly individuals: Results from the healthy aging longitudinal study in Taiwan (HALST).
Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) is known to be closely associated with lifestyle and obesity and has a prevalence that increases with age. This study aimed to assess the short-term composite effect of diet, physical activity, psychosocial health, and waist circumference (WC) on the incidence of DM in the elderly and to provide a lifestyle-based predictive index.We used baseline measurements (2009-2013) of 5349 community-dwelling participants (aged 55 years and older, 52% female) of the Healthy Aging Longitudinal Study in Taiwan (HALST) for fasting plasma glucose, HbA1C, serum cholesterol, triglycerides, blood pressures, WC, and outcomes of home-visit questionnaire. Principal component analysis (PCA) was used to identify participants with a healthy lifestyle (HLF: higher diet, physical activity, and psychosocial scores) and a lower WC, with cutoffs determined by the receiver-operating characteristics. A Cox regression model was applied to 3424 participants without DM at baseline by linking to their National Health Insurance records (median follow-up of 3.1 years).In total, 247 new DM cases (7.2%) were identified. The HLF and lower WC group had a relative risk (RR) of DM of 0.54 (95% CI 0.35-0.82) compared to the non-HLF and higher WC group. When stratified by the presence of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) or metabolic syndrome (MS), only participants with IGT/MS showed significant risks (RR 0.55; 95% CI 0.33-0.92). However, except for WC, the individual lifestyle factors were nonsignificant in the overall model without PCA.A composite protective effect of HLF and normal WC on DM within 5 years was observed, especially in those with IGT or MS. Psychosocial health constituted an important lifestyle factor in the elderly. The cutoffs identified could be used as a lifestyle-based risk index for DM. Maintaining an HLF to prevent DM is especially important for the elderly.
Institute of Population Health Sciences, National Health Research Institutes, Zhunan, Taiwan Department of Preventive Medicine, Feinberg School of Medicine, Northwestern University, Chicago, IL, USA Hope Doctors Hospital, Miaoli Puzi Hospital, Ministry of Health and Welfare, Chiayi Yee Zen General Hospital, Taoyuan Department of Family Medicine, Changhua Christian Hospital, Changhua Family Medicine, Community Health Department, Mennonite Christian Hospital, Hualien Department of Surgery, Yuan's General Hospital, Kaohsiung Department of Neurology, Shin Kong Wu Ho Su Memorial Hospital, Taipei College of Medicine, Fu-Jen Catholic University, New Taipei City, Taiwan Division of Cancer Epidemiology, Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, University of California, San Francisco, CA, USA.
Chu-Chih
CC
Chen
Kiang
K
Liu
Chih-Chen
CC
Hsu
Hsing-Yi
HY
Chang
Hsiao-Chun
HC
Chung
Jih-Shin
JS
Liu
Yo-Hann
YH
Liu
Tsung-Lung
TL
Tsai
Wen-Jin
WJ
Liaw
I-Ching
IC
Lin
Hsi-Wen
HW
Wu
Chung-Chou
CC
Juan
Hou-Chang
HC
Chiu
Marion M
MM
Lee
Chao A
CA
Hsiung
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000375:Aging / Q000502:physiology*; D001786:Blood Glucose; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology*; D004032:Diet; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000453:epidemiology; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D000070497:Healthy Lifestyle; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008019:Life Style; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D013624:Taiwan / Q000453:epidemiology; D055105:Waist Circumference
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D008055:Lipids