A register-based study conducted in Finland found that among patients with recently diagnosed type 2 diabetes, there were three different groups based on their BMI trajectory. Over a four-year period, the majority of patients had a stable BMI with minimal weight change. Only 10% of patients lost weight, while 3% gained weight. At the beginning of the study, the average BMI for all groups was in the obese range. Although weight loss is an important goal for treating type 2 diabetes, the study revealed that only a small number of patients were successful in achieving it.
The University of Eastern Finland researchers conducted a study and published the results in Clinical Epidemiology. Patients in the study generally maintained a stable weight, with 10% experiencing weight loss and 3% gaining weight. The average BMI of all groups exceeded the obesity threshold at the beginning of the study. While weight loss is an important goal in treating type 2 diabetes, the study found that few patients were successful in achieving it. After the initial study, patients were followed for eight years to monitor diabetes complications.
all patients experienced issues with small blood vessels, 21% had issues with large blood vessels, and 20% of patients passed away. The likelihood of small blood vessel issues was 2.9 times higher and the likelihood of large blood vessel issues was 2.5 times higher for patients with an increasing BMI compared to those with a steady BMI. Possible complications of diabetes include retinopathy, nephropathy, neuropathy, and cardiovascular diseases.
“These findings emphasize the importance of ongoing BMI monitoring and weight management for patients with type 2 diabetes. Personalized treatments and assistance with lifestyle changes can be beneficial for these patients.””Making lifestyle changes is extremely important in preventing weight gain and reducing the chances of diabetes complications,” explains Zhiting Wang, a Doctoral Researcher at the University of Eastern Finland.
The research took place in North Karelia, Finland, and utilized electronic health records from primary and specialized healthcare facilities. A total of 889 adults who were diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2011 or 2012 were involved in the study. Participants were divided into groups based on their BMI changes following the diagnosis until 2014. The study looked at the risks of microvascular complications, macrovascular complications, any diabetes complications, and overall mortality over a 2-year period.Between 2015 and 2022, the researchers estimated the BMI trajectory groups.
