The Risk Factors for Development of Type 2 Diabetes: Panasonic Cohort Study 4

(1) Background: As no study has evaluated the risk factors contributing to the development of type 2 diabetes according to body weight mass (BMI) categories in a large cohort and over a long period in a Japanese population, we aimed to assess them in 46,001 Japanese individuals; (2) Methods: This long-term retrospective cohort study included individuals who participated in a medical health checkup program at Panasonic Corporation from 2008 to 2018. In total, 3,208 participants developed type 2 diabetes. The BMI at 2008 were divided into 3 groups: BMI < 22 kg/m², 22 ≤ BMI < 25 kg/m², and BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² to evaluate the risk factors for type 2 diabetes; (3) Results: Cox regression analyses revealed that the significant risk factors were age, BMI, systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting plasma glucose, current smoking status, and alcohol consumption in populations with BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m². The risk factors in the population with 22 ≤ BMI < 25 kg/m² were identical to that of BMI ≥ 25.0 kg/m² excluding systolic blood pressure, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and skipping breakfast. However, in the population with BMI < 22.0 kg/m², no association was found as to BMI, SBP, LDL cholesterol level, and triglycerides; (4) Conclusions: The risk factors for developing diabetes were quite different between the population with BMI < 22 kg/m² and the population with 22 ≤ BMI < 25 kg/m² or BMI ≥ 25 kg/m² in a Japanese population.