A study has reported that diabetic patients are more likely to develop cardiovascular disease if their weight changes significantly, such as gaining or losing 5% or more of their body weight over 2 years.
A research team led by Professor Kim Hyung-kwan, Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, Seoul National University Hospital, and Professor Han Kyung-do, Soongsil University, confirmed this fact by analyzing the association between weight change and cardiovascular disease in 1,522,241 diabetic patients who underwent health checkups twice between 2009 and 2012.
The research team classified them into △10% or more weight loss △5-10% weight loss △steady weight (less than 5% increase or decrease) △5-10% weight gain △10% or more weight gain. The occurrence of atrial fibrillation, heart failure, and death was followed.
As a result, the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality were higher in the weight gain or loss group of 5% or more compared to the group with stable body weight. The higher the rate of change, the greater the risk of cardiovascular disease and mortality.
Overall, a U-shaped correlation was confirmed, indicating that the greater the patient’s weight gain or loss, the higher the risk of cardiovascular disease and death.
This correlation was consistently shown in underweight, normal weight, overweight, and obese patients regardless of the degree of obesity in diabetic patients.
The research team interprets this as showing that the degree of weight change is more significantly involved in the occurrence of cardiovascular disease in diabetic patients than the degree of obesity.
A U-shaped correlation was found between weight change and cardiovascular disease risk in diabetic patients.
Professor Kim said, “This study is significant in that it revealed that both rapid weight gain and loss in diabetic patients increase the risk of cardiovascular disease.”
Professor Kim continued, “We should not consider weight loss in obese diabetic patients unconditionally positive. There is,” he added.
The research results were published in ‘Diabetes Care’, an international journal in the field of endocrine metabolism.
Kwon Dae-ik medical journalist [email protected]
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