Low birthweight and overweight during childhood and young adulthood and the risk of type 2 diabetes in men: a population-based cohort study
Authors' conclusion
Low birthweight and overweight in young adulthood are the major developmental determinants of adult type 2 diabetes risk in men. They contribute in an additive manner to the risk of type 2 diabetes. To reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes, young adult overweight should be avoided, especially in boys with a low birthweight.
Study context
- Population
- Men born 1945–1961 from the population-based BMI Epidemiology Study (BEST) Gothenburg with data on birthweight and overweight in childhood (8 years, BMI >17.9 kg/m²) and young adulthood (20 years, BMI >25 kg/m²); followed from age 30 years until 31 December 20192,733 T2D cases
- Participants
- 34,231 men
- Exposure
- Birthweight and overweight at age 8 and age 20 vs reference categories
- Outcome
- Early (≤59.4 years) and late (>59.4 years) T2D, from Swedish national registers
- Follow-up
- From age 30 years until 31 December 2019
Methodological detailsCox proportional hazards regression
- Cox proportional hazards regression
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
Early T2D
Hazard ratio (95% CI)
Birthweight below median followed by overweight at age 20
6.07(5.08–7.27)
Low birthweight (≤2.5 kg) with overweight at age 20
9.94(6.57–15.05)
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Original publication
Low birthweight and overweight during childhood and young adulthood and the risk of type 2 diabetes in men: a population-based cohort study. Diabetologia. Published 22 February 2024. doi:10.
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