Heterogeneity in type 2 diabetes onset across combinations of lifestyle behaviours in the UK Biobank
Authors' conclusion
Variation in T2D onset is driven primarily by additive lifestyle effects rather than interactions. Each additional recommendation met progressively extends T2D-free survival.
Study context
- Population
- UK Biobank adults with up to 16 years of follow-up; fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, sleep duration, alcohol (meeting public health recommendations or not) and smoking (never, previous, current)
- Participants
- 259,448 adults
- Exposure
- Combinations of lifestyle behaviours and T2D onset
- Outcome
- T2D onset
- Follow-up
- Up to 16 years
Methodological detailsmultilevel analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy (MAIHDA), sex-stratified, 48 lifestyle strata
- Multilevel analysis of individual heterogeneity and discriminatory accuracy (MAIHDA)
- Sex-stratified
- 48 lifestyle strata
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Variation in T2D onset (log-hazard scale) attributable to strata differences (variance partitioning coefficients (VPCs))
over 7%
Between-strata variance explained by additive effects of individual behaviours, both sexes (proportional change in variance (PCVs))
around 93%
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
Strata-specific median T2D-free survival
- Strata meeting most recommendations had the longest predicted survival; those meeting few had the shortest
- Never smoking and meeting physical activity guidelines consistently characterised longer survival
Original publication
Heterogeneity in type 2 diabetes onset across combinations of lifestyle behaviours in the UK Biobank. Diabetes Res Clin Pract. Published 13 July 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →