Gaining weight after turning 50, especially around the waist, significantly raises the risk of diabetes.
Gaining weight after turning 50, especially around the waist, significantly raises the risk of diabetes.
Being overweight is a significant risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, no matter what your age. What hasn't been well-studied, is how body composition and changing weight affects the risk of diabetes in older adults. To study this, researchers reviewed information on nearly 4,193 Americans aged around 65 years. At the start of the study, none of the study participants had been diagnosed with diabetes. Data on body-mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio and more were collected at the start of the study and over the course of an average of 12 years of follow up.
It was found that those with the highest measurements at baseline had a 4 times higher risk of diabetes than those with the lowest measurements. Certain measurements posed a higher risk of diabetes. For example, men older than 65 years with a BMI above 28.7 (>25 is overweight and >30 is obese) had a six times higher risk of diabetes than someone with a BMI below 23.3. In women, the risk was almost four times higher.
Waist circumference was also strongly associated with risk of type 2 diabetes. In men, those with waists above 101 cm (approx) had 5 times the risk of diabetes, compared to their slimmer counterparts with a waist circumference of less than 89 cm (approx). In women, the increased risk was four times higher for those with a waist circumference of 99 cm (approx), compared to women with a waist measurement of 76 cm (approx).
A changing weight during mid-life also had a significant impact on diabetes risk. In people who were normal weight at age 50, an increase of 6 to 10 kg raised the risk of diabetes at age 65 years or older by 1.3 times. If the weight gain was more than 10 kg, the risk increased by 3.2 times. The effect was even more significant for those who were overweight or obese at age 50 years, and who gained more weight. The researchers also found that the more weight the study volunteers gained, greater was the risk of diabetes.
This study provides yet another reason for people to reduce their risk of developing diabetes by maintaining a healthy lifestyle to keep their weight and waist circumference under control.
Being overweight is a significant risk factor for developing type 2 diabetes, no matter what your age. What hasn't been well-studied, is how body composition and changing weight affects the risk of diabetes in older adults. To study this, researchers reviewed information on nearly 4,193 Americans aged around 65 years. At the start of the study, none of the study participants had been diagnosed with diabetes. Data on body-mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio and more were collected at the start of the study and over the course of an average of 12 years of follow up.
It was found that those with the highest measurements at baseline had a 4 times higher risk of diabetes than those with the lowest measurements. Certain measurements posed a higher risk of diabetes. For example, men older than 65 years with a BMI above 28.7 (>25 is overweight and >30 is obese) had a six times higher risk of diabetes than someone with a BMI below 23.3. In women, the risk was almost four times higher.
Waist circumference was also strongly associated with risk of type 2 diabetes. In men, those with waists above 101 cm (approx) had 5 times the risk of diabetes, compared to their slimmer counterparts with a waist circumference of less than 89 cm (approx). In women, the increased risk was four times higher for those with a waist circumference of 99 cm (approx), compared to women with a waist measurement of 76 cm (approx).
A changing weight during mid-life also had a significant impact on diabetes risk. In people who were normal weight at age 50, an increase of 6 to 10 kg raised the risk of diabetes at age 65 years or older by 1.3 times. If the weight gain was more than 10 kg, the risk increased by 3.2 times. The effect was even more significant for those who were overweight or obese at age 50 years, and who gained more weight. The researchers also found that the more weight the study volunteers gained, greater was the risk of diabetes.
This study provides yet another reason for people to reduce their risk of developing diabetes by maintaining a healthy lifestyle to keep their weight and waist circumference under control.
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