BMI and waist circumference are associated with impaired glucose metabolism and type 2 diabetes in normal weight Chinese adults.

Abstract

AIMS:

To examine the associations of BMI and waist circumference with glucose metabolism and (pre)diabetes among adults with BMI < 25 kg/m².

METHODS:

We conducted a cross-sectional study in a nationally representative sample (10,098 men and 17,454 women) of Chinese adults aged ≥ 20 years with BMI < 25 kg/m². Glucose levels after at least 10 hours of overnight fasting, at 30 minutes and at 120 minutes after a standard 75-g oral glucose load were measured. Associations of BMI and waist circumference with outcomes were examined by general linear models for continuous outcomes and by logistic regression models for dichotomous outcomes.

RESULTS:

Among those with BMI < 25 kg/m², 18.8% of men and 17.1% of women had abnormal glucose metabolism, including 4.9% of men and 3.8% of women with undiagnosed type 2 diabetes. For each SD increase in BMI (2.1 kg/m²) and waist circumference (8.3 cm), fasting glucose levels increased by 0.128 and 0.170 mmol/L in men, and by 0.112 and 0.167 mmol/L in women, respectively; the corresponding increases for 2-hour post-load glucose levels were 0.121 and 0.217 mmol/L in men, and 0.241 and 0.362 mmol/L in women. When simultaneously included in the same model, these associations with waist circumference were stronger than with BMI.

CONCLUSION:

Obesity measures are associated with abnormal glucose metabolism and diabetes, with central obesity playing a more prominent role than general obesity in Chinese population with BMI < 25 kg/m². Chinese diabetes prevention and treatment programs should incorporate targeting of normal weight adults with central obesity.

• Authors: Shengxu Li, Jianzhong Xiao, Linong Ji, Jianping Weng, Weiping Jia, Juming Lu, Zhiguang Zhou, Xiaohui Guo, Jie Liu, Zhongyan Shan, Dalong Zhu, Li Chen, Zhigang Zhao, Haoming Tian, Qiuhe Ji, Jiapu Ge, Qiang Li, Lixiang Lin, Zhaojun Yang, Jiang He, Wenying Yang, China National Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders Study Investigators
• Journal: Journal of diabetes and its complications (J Diabetes Complications) 2014 Jul-Aug Vol. 28 Issue 4 Pg. 470-6 ISSN: 1873-460X [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 24809931 (Publication Type: Journal Article)
• Copyright: Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Chemical References

• Blood Glucose

Topics

• Abdomen
• Adiposity
• Adult
• Aged
• Aged, 80 and over
• Blood Glucose (analysis)
• Body Mass Index
• China (epidemiology)
• Cross-Sectional Studies
• Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 (blood, epidemiology, pathology)
• Female
• Glucose Intolerance (blood, epidemiology, pathology)
• Humans
• Linear Models
• Logistic Models
• Male
• Middle Aged
• Prediabetic State (blood, epidemiology, pathology)
• Prevalence
• Risk Factors
• Waist Circumference
• Young Adult