Abstract
We aimed to investigate how body weight fluctuation affects the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by conducting a nationwide cohort study. A total of 3,855,884 participants from the National Health Insurance System health check-up data from 2012 were included in this study, and follow-up continued until 2016. Body weight was measured at least thrice between 2009 and 2012. Body weight variability (BWV) was estimated using average successive variability (ASV) indices. Cox proportional hazards regression models were used to evaluate the association of BWV with the risk of type 2 diabetes using hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Body weight fluctuation was associated with a higher risk of incident diabetes after adjustment for confounders (HR 1.10, 95% CI 1.07, 1.12 in the highest BWV quartile compared to the lowest). Regardless of the weight change status, the highest ASV quartile of BWV increased the risk for diabetes. Even subjects with a normal glucose tolerance status and those aged under 65 years had a higher risk of diabetes if their body weight highly fluctuated during the follow-up years. Our results suggest that body weight variability is an independent risk factor for diabetes. It is important to pay attention to frequent body weight fluctuations.
Highlights
Weight fluctuation refers to repeated cycles of weight gain and loss occurring over months or years [1]
Normal glucose tolerance at baseline accompanied by a large fluctuation of body weight during the subsequent years significantly increased the risk of diabetes
Body weight fluctuations have reportedly been associated with a variety of adverse health outcomes
Summary
Weight fluctuation refers to repeated cycles of weight gain and loss occurring over months or years [1]. Several early epidemiological studies suggested that weight cycling or weight fluctuation was associated with an increased risk of diabetes [12,13,17,19,21], but the findings from further cohort studies have been inconsistent [14,15,16,18,20]. In a very recent meta-analysis, unstable body weight was significantly associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes [13]. Another recent review by Mackie et al concluded that weight cycling has no effect on the risk of type 2 diabetes [15]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
