Obesity and changes in body weight related to 10-year diabetes incidence in women in Taiwan.

This study aimed to investigate the relation of obesity and changes in body weight through adulthood with risks of type 2 diabetes. This study of 954 middle-aged women free of diabetes (mean age, 37.1 +/- 9.6 years) was conducted in a hospital. The baseline and biannual health check-ups were performed from 1993 to 2003. The cumulative incidence rate of type 2 diabetes was 3.64 per 1000 person-years during the mean follow-up period of 10 years. 73.3% of subjects who developed type 2 diabetes were overweight (16.6%) or obese (56.7%). Obese subjects (body mass index more than 25 kg/m2) had a relative risk of type 2 diabetes of 10.4 (95% confidence interval 2.95-36.9) compared with subjects with an optimal body mass index (18-22.9 kg/m2). Long-term weight gain was strongly related to the risk of type 2 diabetes. Each 1 kg of weight gain was associated with a 16% increase in risk of developing diabetes. This study indicated that obesity at young adult and weight gain appreciably increase risk for type 2 diabetes. Maintaining a lean weight throughout adulthood seems to be beneficial in the primary prevention of type 2 diabetes.