Maternal height as a predictor of glucose intolerance in the postpartum and its relationship with maternal...

Short stature predicts higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes. We studied the association between height and glucose intolerance in women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and whether this association differed according to body mass index (BMI).

Retrospective study of the Portuguese GDM registry.

missing data on postpartum oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) or BMI.

postpartum glucose intolerance (diabetes mellitus or prediabetes on the 6-8 weeks postpartum OGTT). Women were divided by mean height and compared. A multivariate logistic regression was used, and the analysis was stratified by BMI (cut-off: 30 kg/m²) and interaction was tested.

We included 7402 women; mean height was 161.9 ± 6.2 cm. Taller women had lower BMI and lower rates of glucose intolerance (6.8 vs. 8.8%, p = 0.002). Women with BMI < 30 kg/m² were taller than those with obesity. Height associated with glucose intolerance. The multivariate adjusted OR of glucose intolerance was 0.98 (95% CI 0.96-0.99), p = 0.001, per 1 cm increase in height. This association was only observed in women with BMI < 30 kg/m²: OR 0.97 (95% CI 0.95-0.99), < 0.001. There was no such association in women with BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²: OR 0.99 (95% CI 0.97-1.02), p = 0.65. P for interaction between BMI and height was 0.09.

In non-obese pre-gestational women, height is inversely associated with postpartum glucose intolerance. Per 1 cm increase in height, women present a 3% decrease in the risk of developing diabetes mellitus or prediabetes.