Age-related patterns of cardiometabolic risk factors for complications in type 2 diabetes
Authors' conclusion
Younger individuals with type 2 diabetes have higher BMI and triglycerides (observed in three out of four studies) but lower SBP and UACR than older individuals with type 2 diabetes. FPG and HbA1c peak in middle age. Differences relative to individuals without diabetes were more pronounced at younger than older ages for FPG, HbA1c, triglycerides and DBP, and were possibly greater for BMI and SBP.
Study context
- Population
- Individuals with T2D (previously diagnosed and newly diagnosed/screen-detected, NDM) in national health surveys from four countries; individuals with normal glucose tolerance (NGT) included for comparison4 national surveys
- Participants
- 903 / 7,086 / 2,682 / 10,151
- Exposure
- Younger vs older age among people with T2D; T2D vs NGT
- AusDiabn = 903
- National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES)n = 7,086
- Mauritius Surveyn = 2,682
- ICMR-INDIABn = 10,151
- Outcome
- Association between age at survey and cardiometabolic risk factors
Methodological detailsanalyses of national health surveys from four countries, regression analyses with natural splines
- Analyses of national health surveys from four countries
- Regression analyses with natural splines
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Cardiometabolic risk factors by age in T2D
- BMI decreased with increasing age in three of four studies (excluding ICMR-INDIAB)
- Younger individuals had higher LDL-C (NHANES, AusDiab) and lower HDL-C (all except ICMR-INDIAB) than older
- TG highest in younger adults, declining with age (AusDiab, NHANES, Mauritius Survey)
- Fasting plasma glucose (FPG) increased with age until 45-55 years, then declined (AusDiab, Mauritius Survey, ICMR-INDIAB); in NHANES younger had higher FPG than older
- Haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) increased with age, peaking around 50-60 years, before declining, in all four studies
- In NDM, 2 h plasma glucose did not vary across age
- Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and urinary albumin/creatinine ratio (UACR) higher in older individuals
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Differences between diabetes and NGT by age
- Differences in FPG, HbA1c, TG and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) greater at younger than older ages in most cohorts
- Same for BMI and SBP, but only in AusDiab and NHANES
Original publication
Age-related patterns of cardiometabolic risk factors for complications in type 2 diabetes. Diabetologia. Published 22 May 2026. doi:10.
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