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Diabetologia

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Open Access 22-02-2024 | Type 2 Diabetes | Article

Low birthweight and overweight during childhood and young adulthood and the risk of type 2 diabetes in men: a population-based cohort study

Authors: Jimmy Célind, Maria Bygdell, Rebecka Bramsved, Jari Martikainen, Claes Ohlsson, Jenny M. Kindblom

Published in: Diabetologia | Issue 5/2024

Abstract

Aims/hypothesis

This study aimed to determine the relative contributions of low birthweight and overweight during childhood and young adulthood to the risk of type 2 diabetes in men.

Methods

We included 34,231 men born between1945 and 1961 from the population-based BMI Epidemiology Study (BEST) Gothenburg with data on birthweight and overweight status in childhood (8 years, BMI >17.9 kg/m²) and young adulthood (20 years, BMI >25 kg/m²). Participants were followed from age 30 years until 31 December 2019. Information on type 2 diabetes diagnoses was retrieved from Swedish national registers. HRs and 95% CIs for the risk of early (≤59.4 years) and late (>59.4 years) type 2 diabetes were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression.

Results

During follow-up, a total of 2733 cases of type 2 diabetes were diagnosed. Birthweight below the median (<3.6 kg) and overweight at age 20 (BMI >25 kg/m²), but not overweight at age 8 (BMI >17.9 kg/m²), were associated with an increased risk of early and late type 2 diabetes. Of note, a birthweight below the median followed by overweight at age 20 years was associated with a substantially increased risk of early type 2 diabetes (HR 6.07, 95% CI 5.08, 7.27), and a low birthweight (≤2.5 kg) combined with overweight at age 20 years was associated with a massive risk of early type 2 diabetes (HR 9.94, 95% CI 6.57, 15.05).

Conclusions/interpretation

Low birthweight and overweight in young adulthood are the major developmental determinants of adult type 2 diabetes risk in men. They contribute in an additive manner to the risk of type 2 diabetes. To reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, young adult overweight should be avoided, especially in boys with a low birthweight.

Data availability

The SPSS analysis code, the R analysis code and a data dictionary have been made available in an online repository (https://osf.io/bx2as/).

Graphical Abstract

Available only for authorised users

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Title: Low birthweight and overweight during childhood and young adulthood and the risk of type 2 diabetes in men: a population-based cohort study
Authors: Jimmy Célind
Maria Bygdell
Rebecka Bramsved
Jari Martikainen
Claes Ohlsson
Jenny M. Kindblom
Publication date: 22-02-2024
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Keywords: Type 2 Diabetes
Overweight
Published in: Diabetologia / Issue 5/2024
Print ISSN: 0012-186X
Electronic ISSN: 1432-0428
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00125-024-06101-y

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Aims/hypothesis

Methods

Results

Conclusions/interpretation

Data availability

Graphical Abstract

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Graphical Abstract

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