*This is an initial press release from the European Congress on Obesity (ECO 2024), to be held in Venice from May 12-15. Please credit Congress if you use this material*

New research to be presented at this year’s European Congress on Obesity (ECO) in Venice, Italy (12-15 May) shows that adults with type 2 diabetes can minimize the risk of death from cardiovascular disease, including the heart. Diseases that identify optimal weight ranges to control, such as heart disease, stroke, and chronic kidney disease.

The findings, based on health data from UK Biobank, show that for adults under 65, maintaining body mass index (BMI) within the normal range of 23-25 ​​kg/m2 minimizes the risk of death from infectious diseases. It shows that it is related to. Cardiovascular disease. However, those over 65 years old, with a BMI of 26-28 kg/m2 and moderately overweight, had the lowest risk.

Maintaining a healthy weight is important for reducing the risk of cardiovascular disease, especially for people with type 2 diabetes, who are predisposed to cardiovascular disease and death. However, it is not clear whether the optimal BMI range for patients with type 2 diabetes differs by age.

To fill these knowledge gaps, researchers investigated the relationship between BMI and cardiovascular mortality risk in 22,874 UK Biobank participants with a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes at enrollment between 2006 and 2010. We investigated age differences in the relationship between Not excluded.

The average age of all participants was 59 years, and approximately 59% were women. Using linked health records, cardiovascular health was tracked for almost 13 years, during which time 891 participants died from cardiovascular disease.

The researchers analyzed data from two age groups: older adults (65 years and older) and middle-aged adults (65 years and younger), and analyzed variables such as BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, and waist-to-height ratio. We evaluated the relationship with Risk of cardiovascular death.

Optimal BMI cut-off points were also calculated for different age groups, and the results were compared to traditional cardiometabolic risk factors and adverse cardiovascular outcomes, such as age, gender, smoking history, alcohol intake, physical activity, and medical history. Adjusted for other relevant factors. of cardiovascular disease.

The analysis found that middle-aged people with a BMI in the overweight range (25 kg/m2 to 29.9 kg/m2) had a 13% higher risk of dying from cardiovascular disease than those with a BMI in the overweight range. did. Normal range (less than 25.0 kg/m²).

However, in the elderly group, those with a BMI in the overweight range (25 kg/m2 to 29.9 kg/m2) had an 18% risk of death compared to those with a BMI in the normal range (less than 25.0 kg/m2). It was associated with low Square meter).

The relationship between BMI and cardiovascular mortality risk showed a U-shaped pattern even after stratification by age, so the optimal BMI cutoff point differed between older and middle-aged groups. The optimal his BMI cutoff for the middle-aged group was 24 kg/m2, while for the elderly group it was 27 kg/m2. As a result, clinical practice can create individualized treatment plans by tailoring recommendations to different age groups.

Researchers also found a positive relationship between both waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio and risk of cardiovascular death. As waist circumference increased, the risk of cardiovascular death increased accordingly. This upward trend remained consistent when the study population was divided into elderly and middle-aged categories. A similar pattern was observed for waist-to-height ratio. However, no significant his BMI cut-off point was identified.

“Importantly, we demonstrated that the optimal BMI for patients with type 2 diabetes differs by age, independent of traditional cardiometabolic risk factors,” said the Hubei University Hospital of Arts and Sciences, Xiangyang, China. said lead author Dr. Shaoyong Xu of Xiangyang Central Hospital. . “Our findings show that for older adults who are not obese but are moderately overweight, maintaining weight rather than losing weight is a more realistic way to reduce the risk of death from cardiovascular disease. This suggests that there is a possibility.”

He added: “Our findings also show that obesity may provide some protection against deadly diseases. A possible explanation for this ‘obesity survival paradox’ in older adults.” Possible biological mechanisms may be associated with reduced rates of bone loss and reduced effects of falls and traumatic episodes, as well as increased nutrient reserves to cope with periods of acute stress. there is.”

The authors say that in the future, measures of central obesity, such as waist circumference, will be used to further refine risk.

Because this is an observational study, it is not possible to determine the cause. And the researchers acknowledged that their study had a number of limitations, including the small number of deaths from cardiovascular disease and the lack of information on types of cardiovascular disease or specific treatments. . They also point out that most of the UK Biobank study participants were white, so the findings may not apply to people from other ethnic backgrounds. Also, due to the nature of the cohort study, anthropometry was only assessed at the beginning of the study, and body weight may change during the follow-up period, which could introduce potential classification errors that partially influence the conclusions. there is.

Disclaimer: AAAS and EurekAlert! We are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted on EurekAlert! Use of Information by Contributing Institutions or via the EurekAlert System.