The association of lifetime weight and weight control patterns with diabetes among men and women in an adult community.

We examined the association of degree and duration overweight, dietary habits and exercise with non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus risk in a defined population of 886 men and 1114 women who were aged 50 years and older when examined in 1984-1987. After an oral glucose tolerance test, 142 men and 142 women were classified as diabetic using WHO criteria. Compared to those with appropriate childhood weight, reported underweight as a child significantly increased the rate of diabetes as an adult (RR = 1.3, P less than 0.05). Underweight as a teenager was also associated with an increased rate (RR = 1.3, P less than 0.05). Underweight as a teenager was also associated with an increased rate (RR = 1.4, P less than 0.01). In adults with current body mass indices (weight/height2) greater than 26, the diabetes rate was significantly higher for those underweight as children (RR = 1.7, P less than 0.01). A multivariate logistic regression analysis of adult diet and weight behaviors, adjusting for age and current smoking, found that a weight gain or fluctuation between the ages of 40 and 60 of 10 lbs or more significantly increased the diabetes rate (RR = 1.4, P less than 0.05; RR = 1.7, P less than 0.01). Weight gain between age 18 and the 1984-1987 visit also significantly increased the rate (RR = 1.4 per 17.3 percent, P less than 0.001). Exercise as the only means to control weight was associated with a significantly reduced diabetes rate (RR = 0.05, P less than 0.05).