Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Among Individuals with Excess Weight: Weight Trajectory Effects.

Area of Science:

• Endocrinology
• Epidemiology
• Metabolic Health

Background:

• The link between overweight/obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) is established, but the precise influence of weight change dynamics on T2D risk requires further investigation.
• Current evidence often relies on discrete weight assessments, potentially missing the time-varying and non-linear effects of weight fluctuations on T2D development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To critically review the relationship between weight change patterns (trajectory groups) and T2D risk in individuals with excess weight.
• To synthesize findings from recent randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and longitudinal cohort studies focused on T2D prevention.

Main Methods:

• Review of recently published randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and longitudinal cohort studies.
• Analysis of weight change trajectories and their association with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D) risk.
• Examination of factors influencing weight trajectories, including lifestyle, pharmacological, and surgical interventions.

Main Results:

• Weight trajectory groups are differentiated by age of onset, sex, and patterns of insulin resistance and beta-cell function.
• Adolescent-onset excess weight is linked to a higher T2D risk.
• Interventions like diet, physical activity, medication, and surgery can modify weight trajectories and impact T2D risk.

Conclusions:

• Weight change patterns, alongside changes in insulin sensitivity and beta-cell function, are critical correlates of T2D risk.
• Understanding these dynamic relationships is vital for developing targeted primary prevention strategies for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D).
• The age of onset and duration of excess weight, along with intervention type, may influence T2D risk.