Association between BMI measured within a year after diagnosis of type 2 diabetes and mortality

Weight Loss Differentially Impacts Sex Hormones in Women and Men With Type 2 Diabetes: Look AHEAD Sex Hormone Study

BACKGROUND

Despite sex differences in type 2 diabetes (T2D), few studies have examined the role of sex hormones. We sought to assess the impact of weight loss, the cornerstone of T2D management, on sex hormone levels.

METHODS

This was an ancillary study to the Look AHEAD (Action for Health In Diabetes) Study [n = 850 postmenopausal females, n = 890 males, with T2D and body mass index (BMI) ≥25 kg/m2]. We measured total testosterone (T), estradiol (E2), and SHBG and calculated bioavailable T (bioT). We examined the effect of the intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) on hormone changes and whether changes were mediated by waist circumference and sex differences in treatment effect.

RESULTS

The baseline mean age was 60 years with a higher proportion of Black females (21%) vs males (9%) and higher mean BMI in females vs males (36.3 vs 34.8 kg/m2). At year 1 in females, ILI decreased E2 by 15% and bioT by 13% and increased SHBG by 21%. At year 1 in males, ILI did not change E2 levels but increased T by 14% and increased SHBG by 18%. The effect was attenuated over 4 years; there were statistically significant sex differences in treatment effect and change in waist circumference due to ILI at year 1 was a significant mediator of sex hormone changes.

CONCLUSION

Weight loss in T2D resulted in sex hormone changes, which varied by sex and were mediated by changes in waist circumference. Changes in sex hormones due to weight loss in T2D should be considered in the context of an individual's health risks, including cardiovascular conditions, bone health, menopausal symptoms, and cognitive function.

Association of regular health check-ups with a reduction in mortality in 625,279 elderly participants with hypertension: A population-based cohort study

OBJECTIVES

Health check-ups constitute an essential part of China's primary health care policy and a key measure for health screening and risk assessment for elderly people with hypertension and chronic diseases. The role of health check-ups in reducing the incidence of cardiovascular and all-cause mortality remains controversial. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between health check-ups and cardiovascular and all-cause mortality in elderly individuals with hypertension.

STUDY DESIGN

Retrospective cohort study.

METHODS

This study included 625,279 elderly participants with hypertension. Associations of regular and irregular health check-ups with cardiovascular disease related (CVD-related) mortality, all-cause mortality and non-CVD-related mortality were tested via the inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) matching and Cox proportional hazard models. Adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) and 95 % confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated for mortality.

RESULTS

A total of 625,279 participants completed health assessments. During a median follow-up of 5.43 years, 45,927 CVD-related deaths and 25,519 non-CVD-related deaths were recorded. After IPTW, regular health check-ups were significantly associated with reduced CVD-related mortality and all-cause mortality (HR: 0.442, 95 % CI: 0.434-0.450; and HR: 0.441, 95 % CI: 0.435-0.448, respectively). An even stronger association between regular health check-ups and reduced CVD-related mortality was observed in participants with diabetes (HR: 0.40, 95 % CI: 0.39-0.42, P for interaction <0.001), dyslipidaemia (HR: 0.43, 95 % CI: 0.42-0.44, P for interaction <0.001) and a high risk or very high risk of hypertension (HR: 0.41, 95 % CI: 0.40-0.42, P for interaction <0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

Regular health check-ups may be associated with reductions in CVD mortality and all-cause mortality in the elderly population with hypertension, especially in individuals with diabetes, dyslipidaemia and a high risk or very high risk of hypertension.

Metabolically 'extremely unhealthy' obese and non-obese patients with diabetes and the risk of cardiovascular events: a French nationwide cohort study

BACKGROUND

Non-obese patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) are becoming more prevalent, but their cardiovascular risk (CV) especially when accompanied with cardio-renal-metabolic co-morbidities (hypertension, chronic kidney disease, hyperlipidemia) is not well characterised. The aim of the study was to assess the CV risk among patients with DM in relation to obesity and cardio-renal-metabolic co-morbidities.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This was a cohort study of all patients with DM without a history of major adverse cardiovascular event who were hospitalized for any reason in France in 2013 with at least 5 years of follow-up. They were categorized by the presence of obesity vs no obesity, as well as three cardio-renal-metabolic co-morbidities: hypertension, chronic kidney disease, hyperlipidemia. 'Extremely unhealthy' patients with DM were defined as those having all 3 co-morbidities.

RESULTS

There were 196,112 patients (mean age 65.7 (SD 13.7) years; 54.3% males) included into the analysis. During a mean follow-up of 4.69 ± 1.79 years, when adjusted for multiple covariates, the non-obese and 'extremely unhealthy' obese patients had the highest risk of CV death [aHR 1.40 (95% CI, 1.22-1.61) and 1.48 (95% CI, 1.25-1.75), respectively]. The 'extremely unhealthy' obese had the highest risk of MACE-HF [aHR 1.84 (95% CI, 1.72-1.97)] and new-onset AF [aHR 1.64 (95% CI, 1.47-1.83)].

CONCLUSION

Both non-obese and obese patients with DM with associated cardio-renal-metabolic co-morbidities are an 'extremely unhealthy' phenotype with the highest risk of CV death and CV events.

The predictive value of estimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV) combined with BMI for newly diagnosed diabetes

PURPOSE

Estimated pulse wave velocity (ePWV) and body mass index (BMI) are significant predictors of new-onset diabetes. This study aims to evaluate the impact and predictive value of combining ePWV and BMI on the incidence of new-onset diabetes.

METHODS

A secondary analysis was conducted on a cohort study by Rich Healthcare (China), involving 211,833 eligible participants. Logistic regression analysis identified factors influencing diabetes occurrence, while ROC curve analysis assessed the predictive value of ePWV, BMI, and their combination for new-onset diabetes.

RESULTS

Over a mean follow-up period of 3.12 years, 3,000 men (1.41%) and 1,174 women (0.55%) were diagnosed with diabetes. Logistic regression revealed that BMI, triglycerides, alanine aminotransferase, blood urea nitrogen, creatinine clearance rate, ePWV, and family history of diabetes are high-risk factors for new-onset diabetes. The combination of ePWV and BMI provided a higher area under the ROC curve (0.822) compared to ePWV or BMI alone.

CONCLUSION

Elevated levels of ePWV and BMI are independent risk factors for new-onset diabetes. Combining these measures enhances predictive accuracy compared to using either indicator alone.

An evaluation of the "Obesity Paradox" in isolated blunt abdominal trauma in the United States

BACKGROUND

The obesity paradox theorizes a survival benefit in trauma patients secondary to the cushioning effect of adiposity. We aim to evaluate the impact of body mass index (BMI) on abdominal injury severity, morbidity, and mortality in adults with isolated, blunt abdominal trauma in the United States.

METHODS

We reviewed the National Trauma Data Bank (2013-2021) for adults sustaining isolated, blunt abdominal trauma stratified by BMI. We performed a doubly robust, augmented inverse-propensity weighted multivariable logistic regression to estimate the average treatment effect (ATE) of BMI on mortality and the presence of abdominal organ injury.

RESULTS

36,350 patients met the inclusion criteria. In our study, 41.4 % of patients were normal-weight (BMI 18.5-24.9), 20.6 % were obese (BMI 30-39.9), and 4.7 % were severely obese (BMI≥40). In these cohorts, the abdominal abbreviated injury scale (AIS) was 2 (2 -3). Obese and severely obese patients had significantly reduced presence of pancreas, spleen, liver, kidney, and small bowel injuries. The predicted probability of abdominal AIS severity decreased significantly with increasing BMI. Crude mortality was significantly higher in obese (1.3 %) and severely obese patients (1.3 %) compared to normal-weight patients (0.7 %). Obese and severely obese patients demonstrated non-statistically significant changes in the mortality of +26.4 % (ATE 0.264, 95 %CI -0.108-0.637, p = 0.164) and +55.5 % (ATE 0.555, 95 %CI -0.284-1.394, p = 0.195) respectively, compared to normal weight patients.

CONCLUSION

BMI may protect against abdominal injury in adults with isolated, blunt abdominal trauma. Mortality did not decrease in association with increasing BMI, as this may be offset by the increase in co-morbidities in this population.

The Obesity Paradox in the Pediatric Trauma Patient

BACKGROUND

Obesity is a chronic disease that adversely impacts patient outcomes and increasingly affecting the pediatric population. According to the CDC, in 2020 the prevalence of obesity among children and adolescents was estimated to be as high as 19.7%. The obesity paradox is the increased survival for overweight and obese adult trauma patients when compared to patients with healthy weights. The aim of this study was to analyze the impact of BMI and outcomes in the pediatric trauma population.

METHODS

Trauma patients in the 2-18 years age group and reported to the 2017-2019 National Trauma Data Bank were identified. CDC growth charts and z-scores were calculated to categorize patients into four subgroups: underweight (<5th percentile), healthy weight (5th-85th percentile), overweight (85th-95th percentile), and obesity (>95th percentile). Primary outcome studied was the mortality rate. Secondary outcomes included injury severity score (ISS), hospital length of stay (LOS), ICU LOS, and number of days on a ventilator. Continuous and categorical data were analyzed using ANOVA and Chi-squared test, respectively, using the healthy BMI category as reference group. P < 0.05 was considered significant.

RESULTS

A total of 161,458 patients [Underweight: 9148 (6%), Healthy weight: 88,009 (55%), Overweight: 26,740 (17%), and Obese: 37,561 (23%)] were included. The mean age was 11 years (SD:5.1). Total mortality for the patient set was 1825 (1.13%). The lowest mortality rate was in the obese group. The ISS was lowest in the obese group, while ICU LOS and days on ventilator were no different than control patients. Hospital LOS and transfer to rehabilitation rates were higher in the obese population.

CONCLUSION

Obesity appears to have a protective effect on mortality and significantly better secondary outcomes in the pediatric trauma population. Further study is necessary to evaluate the interplay between body weight and outcomes in pediatric trauma and disease states.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III.

Exploratory Approach to Incorporating Carbon Footprint in Health Technology Assessment (HTA) Modelling: Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Health Interventions in the United Kingdom

BACKGROUND

Health interventions contribute to the production of greenhouse gas emissions. Thus, reducing carbon footprint is essential in supporting the UK National Health Service (NHS) pathway to net zero. This study explores the approach in which carbon footprint can be included when applying Health Technology Assessment (HTA) modelling using obesity intervention in the United Kingdom (UK) as a case study.

METHODS

Using decision analytic modelling, we conducted an HTA incorporating the impacts of obesity-related treatment decisions on UK carbon emissions. A cohort Markov model was used to track the emissions of the UK population after receiving one of two obesity treatments: semaglutide and bariatric surgery.

RESULTS

This study introduced two new carbon measurement tools that may be useful for future policymaking, incremental carbon footprint effectiveness ratio (ICFER) and incremental carbon footprint cost ratio (ICFCR), which made it possible to assess the emission impacts of proposed health policies. Using the obesity intervention case study, we found that both treatments have an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of < £20,000 per quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs) gained. This is below the UK threshold, indicating that these are cost-effective treatments for obesity, but could increase the NHS carbon footprint. However, it could reduce the overall UK societal carbon footprint by reducing the number of people with obesity. The ICFCR shows a reduction of 1.13-4.51 kgCO2e (kilogram of carbon dioxide equivalent) for every pound spent on obesity treatment.

CONCLUSION

This study illustrates a case study for estimating the effect of health policies on carbon emissions and provides a quantitative measure for obesity-related treatment decisions.

The Obesity Paradox: A Nonlinear Relationship Between 30-Day Postoperative Complications and Body Mass Index After Total Shoulder Arthroplasty

BACKGROUND

An inverse relationship coined the "obesity paradox" has been propositioned, in which body mass index (BMI) may be contradictorily protective in patients undergoing surgery or treatment of chronic disease. This study sought to investigate the BMI associated with the lowest rate of medical complications after total shoulder arthroplasty (TSA).

METHODS

The American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Project database was queried to identify adults who underwent elective primary TSA between January 2012 and December 2020. Thirty-day postoperative medical complications were extracted, which included death, readmission, pneumonia, pulmonary embolism, renal failure, and cardiac arrest, among others. BMI was classified into five categories (underweight [BMI <18.5 kg/m 2 ], normal weight [BMI ≥18.5 and <25 kg/m 2 ], overweight [BMI ≥25 and <30 kg/m 2 ], obese [BMI ≥30 and <40 kg/m 2 ], and morbidly obese [BMI ≥40 kg/m 2 ]). We examined the risk of any 30-day postoperative complications and BMI categorically and on a continuous basis using multivariable logistic regression controlling for age, sex, procedure year, and comorbidities.

RESULTS

Of the 31,755 TSAs, 84% were White, 56% were female, and the average age of patients was 69.2 ± 9.3 years. Thirty-day postoperative medical complications occurred in 4.53% (n = 1,440). When assessed on a continuous basis, the lowest risk was in patients with a BMI between 30 and 35 kg/m 2 . Underweight individuals (BMI <18.5 kg/m 2 ) had the highest postoperative complication rates overall. The probability of medical complications increased with age and was greater for female patients.

CONCLUSION

The relationship between BMI and complication risk in TSA is nonlinear. A BMI between 30 and 35 kg/m 2 was associated with the lowest risk of medical complications after TSA, and BMI<18.5 kg/m 2 had the highest risk overall, indicating some protective aspects of BMI against 30-day medical complications. Thus, obesity alone should not preclude patients from TSA eligibility, rather surgical candidacy should be evaluated in the context of patients' overall health and likelihood of benefit from TSA.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

III, Retrospective Comparative Study.

Association of gamma-glutamyl transferase concentrations with all-cause and cause-specific mortality in Chinese adults with type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

Evidence links gamma-glutamyl transferase (GGT) to mortality in the general population. However, the relationship of GGT with all-cause and cause-specific mortality risk has been little explored in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients.

METHODS

We recruited 20 340 community-dwelling T2DM patients between 2013 and 2014 in Jiangsu, China. Cox regression models were used to assess associations of GGT with all-cause and specific-cause mortality. Restricted cubic splines were used to analyze dose-response relationships between GGT and mortality. Stratified analysis was conducted to examine potential interaction effects by age, sex, smoking status, body mass index (BMI), diabetes duration, and dyslipidemia.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up period of 7.04 years (interquartile range: 6.98-7.08), 2728 deaths occurred, including 902 (33.09%) due to cardiovascular disease (CVD), and 754 (27.58%) due to cancer. GGT concentrations were positively associated with all-cause, CVD, and cancer mortality. Multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) for the highest (Q5) vs. the lowest quintile (Q1) were 1.63 (95% confidence intervals [CI]: 1.44-1.84) for all-cause mortality, 1.87 (95% CI: 1.49-2.35) for CVD mortality, and 1.43 (95% CI: 1.13-1.81) for cancer mortality. Effect modification by BMI and dyslipidemia was observed for all-cause mortality (both p for interaction <.05), and HRs were stronger in the BMI <25 kg/m2 group and those without dyslipidemia.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that, in Chinese T2DM patients, elevated serum GGT concentrations were associated with mortality for all-cause, CVD, and cancer, and further research is needed to elucidate the role of obesity, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, and lipids in this association.

Impact of elevated body mass index on burn injury-associated mortality in a representative US sample

BACKGROUND

The impact of obesity on burn-related mortality is inconsistent and incongruent; despite being a risk factor for numerous comorbidities that would be expected to increase complications and worsen outcomes, there is evidence of a survival advantage for patients with high body mass index-the so-called obesity paradox. We used a national data set to explore further the relationship between body mass index and burn-related mortality.

METHODS

Deidentified data from patients with second and third-degree burns between 2014 and 2018 were obtained from the Cerner Health Facts Database. Univariate and multivariate regression models were created to identify potential factors related to burn-related mortality. A restricted cubic spline model was built to assess the nonlinear association between body mass index and burn-related mortality. All statistical analyses were conducted using R (R Foundation for Statistical Computing).

RESULTS

The study included 9,405 adult burn patients. Univariate and multivariate analyses revealed that age (odds ratio = 2.189 [1.771, 2.706], P < .001), total burn surface area (odds ratio = 1.824 [1.605, 2.074], P < .001), full-thickness burns (odds ratio = 1.992 [1.322, 3.001], P < .001), and comorbidities (odds ratio = 2.03 [1.367, 3.014], P < .001) were associated with increased mortality. Sensitivity analysis showed similar results. However, a restricted cubic spline indicated a U-shaped relation between body mass index and burn-related mortality. The nadir of body mass index was 28.92 kg/m², with the lowest mortality. This association persisted even after controlling for age, total burn surface area, full-thickness burns, and comorbidities, which all remained significant.

CONCLUSION

This study confirms a U-shaped association between body mass index and burn-related mortality along with age, total burn surface area, full-thickness burns, and comorbidities as risk factors.

Body mass index versus surrogate measures of central adiposity as independent predictors of mortality in type 2 diabetes

BACKGROUND

An "obesity paradox" for mortality has been shown in chronic disorders such as diabetes, and attributed to methodological bias, including the use of body mass index (BMI) for obesity definition. This analysis investigated the independent association of BMI versus surrogate measures of central adiposity with all-cause mortality in individuals with type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

The Renal Insufficiency And Cardiovascular Events Italian Multicentre Study is a prospective cohort study that enrolled 15,773 patients in 19 Italian centres in 2006-2008. Exposures were BMI and the surrogate measures of central adiposity waist circumference (WC), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), and A Body Shape Index (ABSI). Vital status was retrieved on 31 October 2015 for 15,656 patients (99.3%), RESULTS: Age- and sex-adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals were significantly higher in BMI-based underweight (1.729 [1.193-2.505), P = 0.004), moderately obese (1.214 [1.058-1.392), P = 0.006) and severely obese (1.703 [1.402-2.068), P < 0.0001), lower in overweight (0.842 [0.775-0.915), P < 0.0001) and similar in mildly obese (0.950 [0.864-1.045), P = 0.292), compared to normal-weight individuals. When further adjusting for smoking, physical activity (PA), and comorbidities, risk was lower also in mildly obese versus normal-weight patients. The BMI-mortality relationship did not change after sequentially excluding ever smokers, individuals with comorbidities, and those died within two years from enrollment and when analyzing separately participants below and above the median age. Conversely, a paradox relationship was observed among inactive/moderately inactive, but not moderately/highly active patients. Mortality risk adjusted for age, gender, smoking, PA and comorbidities was significantly higher in the highest tertile of WC (1.279 [1.089-1.501], P = 0.003), WHtR (1.372 [1.165-1.615], P < 0.0001), and ABSI (1.263 [1.067-1.495], P = 0.007) versus the lowest tertile. However, risk was lower in the intermediate versus lowest tertile for WC (0.823 [0.693-0.979], P = 0.028), similar for WHtR, and higher, though not significantly, for ABSI.

CONCLUSIONS

An "overweight paradox" remained after controlling for age, smoking, and comorbidities, arguing against a collider bias or reverse causation. However, it could be partly explained by confounding from PA level, possibly through its impact on lean mass and cardiorespiratory fitness. No obesity paradox was observed with WHtR and especially ABSI, which predicted mortality risk associated with central adiposity better than WC. Trial registration ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT00715481, 15 July, 2008.

Association of height loss and cardiovascular disease: Data from a large Korean cohort

Background

Height declines with age, and its degree differs among individuals. Despite epidemiologic evidence for the inverse relationship between adult height and cardiovascular disease (CVD) incidence, the clinical significance of height loss in CVD remains to be elucidated. Therefore, this study investigated the association between height loss and CVD incidence.

Methods

In total, 127,573 Korean participants were enrolled; their heights were monitored from 2002 to 2011. The annual height loss (cm/year) was the difference between the first and last height measurements within the observation period divided by the number of years. The participants were classified as Group 1 (height loss: <0.3 cm/year; n = 102,554), Group 2 (height loss: 0.3– < 0.6 cm/year; n = 17,324), or Group 3 (height loss: ≥0.6 cm/year; n = 7,695).

Results

The cumulative major adverse cardiac and cerebral event (MACCE: cardiac death, non-fatal myocardial infarction, and unplanned hospitalization for heart failure or stroke) incidence rate was 3.6% for Group 1, 4.5% for Group 2, and 5.2% for Group 3. Group 2 (hazard ratio [HR] = 1.27, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.17–1.37) and Group 3 (HR = 1.46, 95% CI = 1.32–1.62) had a significantly higher incidence of MACCE than Group 1. In the model adjusted for age, sex, comorbidities, income level, body mass index, smoking, and drinking status, the MACCE risk was higher in Group 2 (HR = 1.11, 95% CI = 1.07–1.20) and Group 3 (HR = 1.25, 95% CI = 1.13–1.39) than in Group 1.

Conclusion

The degree of height loss was independently associated with CVD occurrences in the Korean population.

Sex-specific associations of fat mass and muscle mass with cardiovascular disease risk factors in adults with type 2 diabetes living with overweight and obesity: secondary analysis of the Look AHEAD trial

Background

Distinguishable sex differences exist in fat mass and muscle mass. High fat mass and low muscle mass are independently associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in people living with type 2 diabetes; however, it is unknown if the association between fat mass and CVD risk is modified by muscle mass, or vice versa. This study examined the sex-specific interplay between fat mass and muscle mass on CVD risk factors in adults with type 2 diabetes living with overweight and obesity.

Methods

Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measures were used to compute fat mass index (FMI) and appendicular muscle mass index (ASMI), and participants were separated into high-fat mass vs. low-fat mass and high-muscle mass vs. low-muscle mass. A two-way analysis of covariance (ANCOVA: high-FMI vs. low-FMI by high-ASMI vs. low-ASMI) was performed on CVD risk factors (i.e., hemoglobin A1C [A1C]; high-density lipoprotein cholesterol; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol; triglycerides; systolic and diastolic blood pressure; cardiorespiratory fitness, depression and health related-quality of life [HR-QoL]) at baseline and following a 1-year intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) for females and males separately, with a primary focus on the fat mass by muscle mass interaction effects.

Results

Data from 1,369 participants (62.7% females) who completed baseline DXA were analyzed. In females, there was a fat mass by muscle mass interaction effect on A1C (p = 0.016) at baseline. Post-hoc analysis showed that, in the low-FMI group, A1C was significantly higher in low-ASMI when compared to high-ASMI (60.3 ± 14.1 vs. 55.5 ± 13.5 mmol/mol, p = 0.023). In the high-FMI group, there was no difference between high-ASMI and low-ASMI (56.4 ± 12.5 vs. 56.5 ± 12.8 mmol/mol, p = 0.610). In males, only high-FMI was associated with higher A1C when compared to low-FMI (57.1 ± 14.4 vs. 54.2 ± 12.0 mmol/mol, p = 0.008) at baseline. Following ILI, there were significant fat mass by muscle mass interaction effects on changes in the mental component of HR-QoL in males.

Conclusion

Considering that A1C predicts future CVD, strategies to lower A1C may be especially important in females with low fat and low muscle mass living with type 2 diabetes. Our results highlight the complicated and sex-specific contribution of fat mass and muscle mass to CVD risk factors.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12933-022-01468-x.

Associations of BMI with mortality in HFpEF patients with concomitant diabetes with insulin versus non-insulin treatment

BACKGROUND

Obesity confers paradoxical survival benefits in heart failure with preserved ejection fraction (HFpEF). The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of DM and insulin treatment status on the associations of body mass index (BMI) with the death risks in HFpEF patients.

METHODS

HFpEF patients from the TOPCAT trial were included. Cox regression model was constructed to assess the relationship of BMI with the risks of all-cause death and cardiovascular death. Restricted cubic splines were used to characterize the dose-response associations of BMI with risks of death.

RESULTS

Compared with normal weight, hazard ratios of all-cause death in overweight and class I obesity were 0.62 (0.45-0.85), 0.67 (0.47-0.94) in no DM HFpEF patients, and 0.48 (0.25-0.91), 0.41 (0.22-0.79) in non-insulin-treated DM patients. However, insulin treatment removed this beneficial effect. Consistent results were found when modeling for time-updated BMI. Cubic spline analyses suggested a linear trend of increased death risk with higher BMI in insulin-treated DM patients.

CONCLUSIONS

The "obesity paradox" was present in HFpEF patients without DM or with non-insulin-treated DM but absent in those with insulin-treated DM. Insulin treatment may be a crucial confounder of the obesity paradox in HFpEF patients.

CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION

URL: https://clinicaltrials.gov. Unique identifier: NCT00094302.

Revisiting the Obesity Paradox in Health Care Expenditures Among Adults With Diabetes

Recent studies of diabetes suggest an obesity paradox: mortality risk increases with weight in people without diabetes but decreases with weight in people with diabetes. A recent study also reports the paradox more generally with health care utilization. Whether this paradox in health care utilization and spending is causal or instead the result of empirical biases and confounding factors has yet to be examined in detail. This study set out to examine changes in the relationship between BMI and health care expenditures in populations with versus without diabetes, controlling for confounding risk factors. It found that the obesity paradox does not exist and is the result of statistical biases such as confounding and reverse causation. Obesity is not cost-saving for people with diabetes. Thus, insurers and physicians should renew efforts to prevent obesity in people with diabetes.

Explaining the obesity paradox in healthcare utilization among people with type 2 diabetes

Background

Several studies of diabetes suggest an obesity paradox: persons without diabetes have an increased risk of death due to obesity, whereas obesity decreases the risk of death for people with diabetes. A recent study finds the same obesity paradox with the number of healthcare visits. Whether empirical biases and confounding lead to this paradox is yet to be determined.

Objective

To examine changes in the relationship between BMI and number of visits in diabetic vs nondiabetic populations, controlling for confounding risk factors.

Methods

Using adults in the nationally representative Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS) from 2008 to 2016, N = 210,317, we examine the proposed relationship using six measures of healthcare visits with zero-inflated negative binomial regressions controlling for age, gender, race/ethnicity, income, education, region, health insurance, chronic conditions, and smoking. We excluded persons with type 1 diabetes and gestational diabetes.

Results

We find an obesity paradox among people with diabetes for three measures. That is, relative to people without diabetes, normal weight people with diabetes have more emergency room visits, inpatient, and office-based physician visits than do the obese with diabetes. However, we do not find an obesity paradox in any of the six measures once we exclude smokers and persons ever diagnosed with cancer or cardiovascular disease.

Conclusion

The obesity paradox does not exist at the utilization level and is due to the presence of statistical biases such as confounding and reverse causation. Physicians should continue to focus on efforts to prevent obesity in patients with diabetes.

The Impact of Obesity on Renal Trauma Outcome: An Analysis of the National Trauma Data Bank from 2013 to 2016

BACKGROUND

The obesity paradox has been recently demonstrated in trauma patients, where improved survival was associated with overweight and obese patients compared to patients with normal weight, despite increased morbidity. Little is known whether this effect is mediated by lower injury severity. We aim to explore the association between body mass index (BMI) and renal trauma injury grade, morbidity, and in-hospital mortality.

METHODS

A retrospective cohort of adults with renal trauma was conducted using 2013-2016 National Trauma Data Bank. Multiple regression analyses were used to assess outcomes of interest across BMI categories with normal weight as reference, while adjusting for relevant covariates including kidney injury grade.

RESULTS

We analyzed 15181 renal injuries. Increasing BMI above normal progressively decreased the risk of high-grade renal trauma (HGRT). Subgroup analysis showed that this relationship was maintained in blunt injury, but there was no association in penetrating injury. Overweight (OR 1.02, CI 0.83-1.25, p = 0.841), class I (OR 0.92, CI 0.71-1.19, p = 0.524), and class II (OR 1.38, CI 0.99-1.91, p = 0.053) obesity were not protective against mortality, whereas class III obesity (OR 1.46, CI 1.03-2.06, p = 0.034) increased mortality odds. Increasing BMI by category was associated with a stepwise increase in odds of acute kidney injury, cardiovascular events, total hospital length of stay (LOS), intensive care unit LOS, and ventilator days.

CONCLUSIONS

Increasing BMI was associated with decreased risk of HGRT in blunt trauma. Overweight and obesity were associated with increased morbidity but not with a protective effect on mortality. The obesity paradox does not exist in kidney trauma when injury grade is accounted for.

Nutritional basis of type 2 diabetes remission

Roy Taylor and colleagues explain how type 2 diabetes can be reversed by weight loss and avoidance of weight regain

The obesity paradox and diabetes

BACKGROUND

Obesity has been proven to be a risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) through numerous pathogenetic mechanisms. Unexpectedly, some studies suggest that subjects with overweight/obesity and T2DM have better clinical outcome than their normal weight peers. This finding is described as "obesity paradox" and calls into question the importance of weight loss in this specific population.

OBJECTIVE

This article is a narrative overview on the obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus, particularly regarding the obesity paradox in T2DM patients.

METHODS

We used as sources MEDLINE/PubMed, CINAHL, EMBASE, and Cochrane Library, from inception to March 2020; we chose 30 relevant papers regarding the association of obesity with clinical outcome and mortality of patients affected by T2DM.

RESULTS

Many studies report that in patients with T2DM, overweight and obesity are associated with a better prognosis than underweight or normal weight, suggesting the presence of an obesity paradox. However, these studies have numerous limitations due to their mainly retrospective nature and to numerous confounding factors, such as associated pathologies, antidiabetic treatments, smoking habit, lack of data about distribution of body fat or weight history.

CONCLUSION

Literature data regarding the phenomenon of obesity paradox in T2DM patients are controversial due to the several limitations of the studies; therefore in the management of patients with overweight/obesity and T2DM is recommended referring to the established guidelines, which indicate diet and physical activity as the cornerstone of the treatment.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE

Level V: narrative review.

Concentration/activity of superoxide dismutase isozymes and the pro-/antioxidative status, in context of type 2 diabetes and selected single nucleotide polymorphisms (genes: INS, SOD1, SOD2, SOD3) - Preliminary findings

The alterations in concentration/activity of superoxide dismutase isozymes in the context of type 2 diabetes or obesity are well-described. Moreover, many hereditary factors, including single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of genes for coding insulin, insulin receptors, or insulin receptor substrates (INS, INSR, IRS1, IRS2) or superoxide dismutase isozymes (SOD1, SOD2, SOD3), have been linked with the incidence of obesity and diabetes. However, the underlying changes in the plasma concentration/activity of superoxide dismutase isozymes and their potential connection with the said hereditary factors remain unexplored. Previously, we have observed that the plasma concentration/activity of superoxide dismutase isozymes differs in the context of obesity and/or rs2234694 (SOD1) and rs4880 (SOD2) and that the concentrations of SOD1, SOD2, SOD3 are correlated with each other. Intersexual variability of SOD1 concentration was detected regardless of obesity. In this study, the variability of concentration/activity of superoxide dismutase isozymes in plasma is considered in the context of type 2 diabetes and/or SNPs: rs2234694 (SOD1), rs5746105 (SOD2), rs4880 (SOD2), rs927450 (SOD2), rs8192287 (SOD3). Genotypic variability of SNP rs3842729 (INS), previously studied in the context of insulin-dependent diabetes, is investigated in terms of selected clinical parameters associated with type 2 diabetes. This study revealed higher SOD1 concentration in diabetic men compared to women, and extremely high SOD1 concentration, higher total superoxide dismutase, and copper-zinc superoxide dismutase activity, and lower superoxide dismutase and copper-zinc superoxide dismutase activity (when adjusted for the concentration of SODs) in the diabetic group regardless of sex. Multiple logistic regression, applied to explore possible links between the studied SNPs and other factors with the odds of type 2 diabetes or obesity, revealed that the genotypic variability of rs4880 (SOD2) could affect these odds, supporting the findings of several other studies.

The Obesity Paradox in the Trauma Patient: Normal May not Be Better

Objective

The obesity paradox is the association of increased survival for overweight and obese patients compared to normal and underweight patients, despite an increased risk of morbidity. The obesity paradox has been demonstrated in many disease states but has yet to be studied in trauma. The objective of this study is to elucidate the presence of the obesity paradox in trauma patients by evaluating the association between BMI and outcomes.

Methods

Using the 2014–2015 National Trauma Database (NTDB), adults were categorized by WHO BMI category. Logistic regression was used to assess the odds of mortality associated with each category, adjusting for statistically significant covariables. Length of stay (LOS), ICU LOS and ventilator days were also analyzed, adjusting for statistically significant covariables.

Results

A total of 415,807 patients were identified. Underweight patients had increased odds of mortality (OR 1.378, p < 0.001 95% CI 1.252–1.514), while being overweight had a protective effect (OR 0.916, p = 0.002 95% CI 0.867–0.968). Class I obesity was not associated with increased mortality compared to normal weight (OR 1.013, p = 0.707 95% CI 0.946–1.085). Class II and Class III obesity were associated with increased mortality risk (Class II OR 1.178, p = 0.001 95% CI 1.069–1.299; Class III OR 1.515, p < 0.001 95% CI 1.368–1.677). Hospital and ICU LOS increased with each successive increase in BMI category above normal weight. Obesity was associated with increased ventilator days; Class I obese patients had a 22% increase in ventilator days (IRR 1.217 95% CI 1.171–1.263), and Class III obese patients had a 54% increase (IRR 1.536 95% CI 1.450–1.627).

Conclusion

The obesity paradox exists in trauma patients. Further investigation is needed to elucidate what specific phenotypic aspects confer this benefit and how these can enhance patient care.

Level of evidence

Level III, prognostic study

Is the Obesity Paradox in Type 2 Diabetes Due to Artefacts of Biases? An Analysis of Pooled Cohort Data from the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study and the Study of Health in Pomerania

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

There is controversy on whether an obesity paradox exists in type 2 diabetes, ie, that mortality is lowest in overweight or obesity. We examined the role of potential biases in the obesity paradox.

METHODS

From two regional population-based German cohort studies - the Heinz Nixdorf Recall Study and the Study of Health in Pomerania (baseline examinations 2000-2003/1997-2001) - 1187 persons with diabetes at baseline were included (mean age 62.6 years, 60.9% males). Diabetes was ascertained by self-report of physician's diagnosis, antidiabetic medication, fasting/random glucose or haemoglobin A1c. Mortality data were assessed for up to 17.7 years. We used restricted cubic splines and Cox regression models to assess associations between body mass index (BMI) and mortality. Sensitivity analyses addressed, inter alia, exclusion of early death cases, of persons with cancer, kidney disease or with history of cardiovascular diseases, and of ever smokers. Furthermore, we examined the role of treatment bias and collider bias for the obesity paradox.

RESULTS

In spline models, mortality risk was lowest for BMI at about 31 kg/m2. Sensitivity analyses carried out one after another had hardly any impact on this result. In our cohort, persons with diabetes and BMI ≥30 kg/m2 did not have better treatment than non-obese patients, and we found that collider bias played only a minor role in the obesity paradox.

CONCLUSION

In a cohort of 1187 persons with diabetes, mortality risk was lowest in persons with moderate obesity. We cannot explain this result by a variety of sensitivity analyses.

Body mass index and mortality among middle-aged Japanese individuals with diagnosed diabetes: The Japan Public Health Center-based prospective study (JPHC study)

AIM

To examine the association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality among middle-aged people with diabetes in Japan.

METHODS

A total of 3032 men and 1615 women, aged 40-69 years, with diabetes were analyzed. Cox proportional hazards models, adjusted for potential confounding factors, were used to estimate mortality hazard ratios (HRs) across BMI categories at the baseline.

RESULTS

There were 1761 deaths during a mean follow-up period of 18.5 years. Increased all-cause mortality was observed at both ends of the BMI distribution; compared with the reference BMI category (23.0-24.9 kg/m²), the HRs were 1.25 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.9997-1.56) in the lowest (14.0-18.9 kg/m²) and 1.36 (95% CI, 1.06-1.74) in the highest (30.0-39.9 kg/m²) categories (P = 0.001). Similar all-cause mortality trends were observed after excluding deaths within 3 years of follow-up, as well as for men and men who had ever smoked. While a similar non-linear pattern was observed for cancer-specific mortality, heart disease-specific mortality was only increased in the highest BMI category (HR, 1.86; 95% CI, 1.06-3.25).

CONCLUSION

This population-based prospective study demonstrated increased all-cause mortality at both ends of the BMI distribution among Japanese people with diabetes.

A comparison of obesity indices in relation to mortality in type 2 diabetes: the Fremantle Diabetes Study

AIMS/HYPOTHESIS

This prospective association study aimed to compare the relationship between each of four obesity indices and mortality risk in people with type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

The associations of BMI, waist circumference, WHR and A Body Shape Index (ABSI) with all-cause mortality were analysed in 1282 participants of the Fremantle Diabetes Study, followed for up to 20 years after baseline assessment. Models were adjusted for age and other confounders; assessments as continuous measures and by quintile were carried out for men and women separately. Sensitivity analyses were conducted to minimise reverse causality.

RESULTS

When indices were assessed as continuous variables, there were significant bivariate associations with mortality for: ABSI, which was greater in both men and women who died (p < 0.001); WHR, which was greater in women only (p = 0.033); and BMI, which was lower in women only (p < 0.001). When assessed by quintile, there were significant bivariate associations with mortality for ABSI in men and women (p < 0.001) and BMI in women only (p = 0.002). In Cox models of time to death, adjusted for age, diabetes duration, ethnicity and smoking, ABSI quintiles showed a linear trend for both men (p = 0.003) and women (p = 0.035). Men in the fifth ABSI quintile had an increased mortality risk compared with those in the first quintile (HR [95% CI]: 1.74 [1.24, 2.44]) and women in the fifth ABSI quintile had an increased mortality risk that approached statistical significance (1.42 [0.97, 2.08], p = 0.08). Men in the fifth WHR quintile had an increased mortality risk (1.47 [1.05, 2.06]). There was no association between mortality and BMI or waist circumference in either sex.

CONCLUSIONS/INTERPRETATION

ABSI was the obesity index most strongly associated with all-cause mortality in Australians with type 2 diabetes. There was no evidence for an obesity paradox with any of the assessed indices. ABSI may be a better index of central obesity than waist circumference, BMI or WHR when assessing mortality risk in type 2 diabetes.

Obesity Paradox in the Burn Patient

Despite the fact that obesity is a known risk factor for comorbidities and complications, there is evidence suggesting a survival advantage for patients classified by body mass index (BMI) as overweight or obese. Investigated in various clinical areas, this “Obesity Paradox” has yet to be explored in the burn patient population. We sought to clarify whether this paradigm exists in burn patients. Data collected on 519 adult patients admitted to an American Burn Association Verified Burn Center between 2009 and 2017 was utilized. Univariable and multivariable logistic regression were used to determine the association between in-hospital mortality and BMI classifications (underweight &lt;18.5 kg/m2, normal 18.5 to 24.9 kg/m2, overweight 25–29.9 kg/m2, obesity class I 30 to 34.9 kg/m2, obesity class II 35 to 39.9 kg/m2, and extreme obesity &gt;40 kg/m2). For every kg/m2 increase in BMI, the odds of death decreased, with an adjusted odds ratio of 0.856 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.767 to 0.956). When adjusted for total BSA (TBSA), being obesity class I was associated with an adjusted odds ratio of mortality of 0.0166 (95% CI 0.000332 to 0.833). The adjusted odds ratio for mortality for underweight patients was 4.13 (95% CI 0.416 to 41.055). There was no statistically significant difference in odds of mortality between the normal and overweight BMI categories. In conclusion, the obesity paradox exists in burn care: further investigation is needed to elucidate what specific phenotypic aspects confer this benefit and how these can enhance the care of burn patients.

Association of obesity with cardiovascular outcomes in patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease: Insights from TECOS

BACKGROUND

Obesity is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Whether obesity affects outcomes among those with T2D and atherosclerotic CVD (ASCVD) remains uncertain. Our objective was to investigate the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and ASCVD outcomes among TECOS participants with T2D and ASCVD.

METHODS

BMI categories were defined as underweight/normal weight (BMI <25 kg/m²), overweight (25-29.9 kg/m²), obese class I (30-34.9 kg/m²), obese class II (35-39.9 kg/m²), and obese class III (≥ 40 kg/m²). Asian-specific BMI categories were applied to Asian participants. Kaplan-Meier survival analysis and Cox proportional hazards models were used to examine associations between baseline BMI and a composite CV outcome (CV death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, or hospitalization for unstable angina).

RESULTS

For 14,534 TECOS patients with available BMI, mean age was 65.5 years; 29.3% were female, 32.0% non-White, and 23.1% insulin-treated, with median 3 years' follow-up. At baseline, 11.6% (n = 1686) were underweight/normal weight, 38.1% (n = 5532) overweight, 32.2% (n = 4683) obese class I, 12.4% (n = 1806) obese class II, and 5.7% (n = 827) obese class III. The composite CV outcome occurred in 11.4% (n = 1663) of participants; the outcome risk was lower, compared with under/normal weight, in overweight (HR 0.83, 95% CI 0.71-0.98) and obese class I (HR 0.79, 95% CI 0.67-0.93) individuals. Obesity was not associated with worse glycemic control.

CONCLUSIONS

The majority of TECOS participants with ASCVD and T2D were overweight or obese, yet overweight or obese class I individuals had lower CV risk than those who were under/normal weight. These results suggest the presence of an obesity paradox, but this paradox may reflect an epidemiological artifact rather than a true negative association between normal weight and clinical outcomes.

Synergic Impact of Body Mass Index, Diabetes, and Age on Long-Term Mortality in Japanese Incident Hemodialysis Patients: A Cohort Study on a Large National Dialysis Registry

OBJECTIVES

The relationships among body mass index (BMI), diabetes, age, and all-cause mortality in hemodialysis patients remain unclear. We examined BMI-stratified relationships between diabetes, age, and the risk of long-term mortality in incident hemodialysis patients.

METHODS

This is a cohort study. Data were obtained from the national dialysis registry in Japan 2007 that included 35,415 incident hemodialysis patients and 6,061 patients aged ≥20 years with BMI data. Patients were divided into 6 categories according to baseline BMI (low: <18.5, normal: 18.5-25, Obesity: ≥25) and the presence or absence of diabetes. The primary outcome was all-cause mortality during a 5-year follow-up. Hazard ratios were estimated using Cox's model for the relationships among diabetes, BMI categories, and all-cause mortality, and adjusted for potential confounders. Patients with a normal BMI and non-diabetic were the reference category. We also examined the effects of age on these relationships.

RESULTS

A total of 6,061 patients, including 3,239 with diabetes, were enrolled. During the follow-up, 31.0% and 30.7% of all and diabetic patients, respectively, died. Cox's regression analysis showed that low BMI, but not obesity, was independently associated with an increased risk of all-cause death in patients with and without diabetes. When patients were divided into 2 groups-younger and older than 60 years-the risk of mortality in both groups was increased in low BMI with diabetes.

CONCLUSIONS

Among Japanese incident hemodialysis patients, low BMI increases the risk of all-cause mortality. The markedly high mortality rate in diabetic patients with low BMI regardless of age warrants attention.

A Multicenter Large-Scale Retrospective Analysis of the Correlation between Body Mass Index and All-Cause Mortality in Patients with Type 2 diabetes Mellitus: A Seven-Year Real-World Study

Aims: To investigate the association between body mass index (BMI) and all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and to determine any sex-specific differences in this association. Methods: We retrospectively enrolled patients with T2DM and investigated the annual death data for seven years starting from 2010. All-cause mortality was calculated using Life Tables analysis. Multivariate Cox proportional hazards analysis was performed to identify the association between BMI and mortality. Results: During a mean survey period of 7.33 ± 1.42 years (X± SD), 996 of the 17259 patients enrolled died, resulting in an all-cause mortality rate of 5.77%, with no significant difference between women and men (6.04% vs. 5.56%; x² = 1.766, P = 0.184). The top three causes of death were ischemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, and chronic kidney failure. A total of 87, 266, 332, and 311 patients with a BMI of <18.5, 18.5-23.99, 24.0-27.99, and ≥28.0 kg/m², respectively, died, with the corresponding mortality rate calculated at 15.45%, 3.30%, 5.80%, and 10.70%, respectively. The BMI value associated with the highest all-cause mortality was <18.5 kg/m², but this association was only significant in women aged <50 years (HR: 3.12; 95% CI, 1.62-4.34; P < 0.001). Conclusions: In patients with T2DM, a low BMI in women aged <50 years predicted high all-cause mortality.

Body Mass Index and Prognosis in Ischemic Stroke Patients With Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Background: Overweight contributes to type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) development. Although the obesity paradox has been suggested in many vascular diseases, little information is available about stroke patients with T2DM. We investigated whether body mass index (BMI) has a differential impact on the incidence of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in patients with ischemic stroke and T2DM.

Methods: This retrospective study used a prospective cohort of patients with acute ischemic stroke and included consecutive patients with T2DM after excluding those with active cancer or who died within 1 month of an index stroke. We investigated the long-term risk of MACE (stroke, myocardial infarction, unstable angina, coronary revascularization procedure, and death) according to BMI.

Results: Among the 1,338 patients, MACE occurred in 415 patients (31.1%) during a median follow-up of 3.6 years. Compared to the normal weight group, MACE occurred more frequently in the underweight group [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.55, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.01–2.38], but less frequently in the overweight group (adjusted HR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.70–1.08) and obese group (adjusted HR: 0.58, 95% CI: 0.41–0.86) group. In analyses of association between BMI and each component of MACE, stroke and cardiovascular mortality indicated an L- and a U-shaped pattern, respectively. However, fatal or non-fatal stroke showed an inverse pattern, and fatal or non-fatal cardiovascular events showed a reversed J-shaped pattern.

Discussions: This study showed the overall presence of the obesity paradox in stroke patients with T2DM. However, obese patients had different risks of cardiovascular events and stroke.

Strategies for glycemic control in nonobese and obese type 2 diabetic patients with coronary artery disease

BACKGROUND

This study aimed to assess strategies of insulin-providing (IP) or insulin-sensitizing (IS) therapy for glycemic control in nonobese diabetic patients with coronary artery disease (CAD) with possibly higher cardiovascular risk and lower insulin secretion than obese diabetic patients with CAD.

METHODS

We used data from the Bypass Angioplasty Revascularization Investigation 2 Diabetes (BARI 2D) trial to calculate hazard ratio (HR) with 95% confidence interval (95%CI) for outcome events in patients with type 2 diabetes and CAD using Cox proportional hazard models. The comparison between the IP and IS groups was performed using the randomized design of the BARI 2D trial separately for nonobese (n = 1021) and obese (n = 1319) patients. The primary outcome was a composite endpoint including all-cause death, myocardial infarction, and stroke.

RESULTS

During the follow-up, 231 nonobese and 295 obese patients had one confirmed primary outcome event. In nonobese patients, the risk of primary outcome events was significantly higher in the IP group than the IS group (HR: 1.30, 95%CI: 1.00-1.68, P = 0.04), whereas that in obese patients did not differ significantly between the two groups. Moreover, in nonobese patients, the risk of primary outcome events in those without abdominal obesity was significantly higher in the IP group than that in the IS group (HR: 1.51, 95%CI: 1.05-2.19, P = 0.02). There were no significant interactions between the strategy for glycemic control and various subgroups of nonobese patients.

CONCLUSIONS

In nonobese patients with type 2 diabetes and CAD, the IS treatment strategy may be more beneficial than the IP treatment strategy.

Exercise training for patients with type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease: What to pursue and how to do it. A Position Paper of the European Association of Preventive Cardiology (EAPC)

Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus suffer from dysregulation of a plethora of cardiovascular and metabolic functions, including dysglycaemia, dyslipidaemia, arterial hypertension, obesity and a reduced cardiorespiratory fitness. Exercise training has the potential to improve many of these functions, such as insulin sensitivity, lipid profile, vascular reactivity and cardiorespiratory fitness, particularly in type 2 diabetes mellitus patients with cardiovascular comorbidities, such as patients that suffered from an acute myocardial infarction, or after a coronary intervention such as percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass grafting. The present position paper aims to provide recommendations for prescription of exercise training in patients with both type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. The first part discusses the relevance and practical applicability of treatment targets that may be pursued, and failure to respond to these targets. The second part provides recommendations on the contents and methods to prescribe exercise training tailored to these treatment targets as well as to an optimal preparation and dealing with barriers and risks specific to type 2 diabetes mellitus and cardiac comorbidity.

Ethnicity-specific association of BMI levels at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes with cardiovascular disease and all-cause mortality risk

AIM

To evaluate the risk of CVD and all-cause mortality at different BMI levels in conjunction with weight change prior to diagnosis of T2DM in a multi-ethnic population.

METHODS

Longitudinal study of 51,455 patients with T2DM and without a history of comorbid diseases at diagnosis. Weight changes prior to diagnosis of T2DM were evaluated, and the risk of CVD and all-cause mortality at different BMI levels among three ethnic groups estimated using treatment effects model.

RESULTS

White Europeans (WE), African-Caribbeans (AC), and South Asians (SA) were mean 52, 49, and 47 years with a mean BMI of 33.0, 32.0, and 30.0 kg/m² at diagnosis, respectively. Among WE, normal weight patients developed CVD significantly earlier by 0.5 years (95% CI 0.1, 0.9 years; p = 0.018) compared to obese patients. Furthermore, those with normal body weight at diagnosis were significantly more likely to die earlier by 0.6 years (95% CI 0.03, 1.2 years; p = 0.037) among WE and by 2.5 years (95% CI 0.3, 4.6 years; p = 0.023) among SA compared to their respective obese patients. However, BMI at diagnosis was not associated with increased risk of CVD and death among AC.

CONCLUSIONS

This study suggests a paradoxical association of BMI with cardiovascular and mortality risks in different ethnic groups, which may partially be driven by different cardiovascular and glycaemic risk profiles at diagnosis.

Body mass index and mortality in people with and without diabetes: A UK Biobank study

BACKGROUND AND AIMS

To investigate the association of body mass index with all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality in individuals with and without diabetes.

METHODS AND RESULTS

We used data on 490,852 participants from the UK Biobank, with linkage to national mortality data between 2006 and 2016. Using Cox regression, we calculated hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CI) for all-cause, cardiovascular and cancer mortality within body mass index categories in people with and without diabetes adjusting for potential confounders. 24,789 (5.0%) participants reported having diabetes at baseline. Over a median follow-up of 6.9 years, 13,896 participants died, of which 1800 had diabetes. Compared with normal body mass index (18.5-24.9 kg/m²), mortality risk in the overweight group (25.0-29.9 kg/m²) was 33% lower in people with diabetes (HR 0.67, 95%CI 0.62-0.73) and 12% lower in participants without (HR 0.88, 95%CI 0.85-0.90). For class I obesity (30.0-34.9 kg/m²), mortality risk was 35% lower in participants with diabetes (HR 0.65, 95%CI 0.59-0.71) and 5% lower in participants without (HR 0.95, 95%CI 0.91-0.99). For class III obesity (≥40 kg/m²), there was a 10% non-significant lower mortality risk compared to normal body mass index in people with diabetes (HR 0.90, 95%CI 0.77-1.05); in contrast, the risk was 29% higher in people without diabetes (HR 1.29, 95%CI 1.13-1.45). Similar patterns were observed for cardiovascular mortality but not for cancer mortality.

CONCLUSION

The impact of obesity on the risk of mortality was dependent on the presence of diabetes: for the same level of obesity, mortality risk was higher in people without diabetes compared to those with diabetes.

Evaluation of the Association between Gestational Diabetes Mellitus at First Pregnancy and Cancer within 10 Years Postpartum Using National Health Insurance Data in South Korea

This study aims to evaluate the association between gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) at first pregnancy and the incidence of cancer within 10 years postpartum. We used customized health information data from the National Health Insurance Corporation (NHIC). This retrospective cohort study included data from women who were not previously diagnosed with diabetes or any kind of malignancy in the National Health Screening Examination through the NHIC during 2002–2003, and only women who had their first delivery between 2004 and 2005 was included. Follow-up cancer diagnosis was carried out up until 2015. Among the 102,900 primiparous women, 4970 (4.83%) were diagnosed with GDM. During 10 year total follow-up period, 6569 (6.38%) cases of primary cancer were identified. The incidence of cancer was higher in women with GDM and the most common type of cancer was thyroid cancer, followed by breast cancer. On the basis of survival analysis, we adopted the Cox proportional hazards model and found that GDM was positively associated with cancer, particularly in thyroid cancer (HR: 1.27, 95% CI: 1.054–1.532, p = 0.012). However, the incidence of other malignancies (including ovarian and breast cancers) were not significantly associated with GDM, though they did show positive trends. Our findings suggest that GDM is associated with the incidence of cancer, particular thyroid cancer.

Body mass index and the risk of mortality among Chinese adults with Type 2 diabetes

AIMS

To examine the associations between BMI and the risks of all-cause, cardiovascular disease (CVD)-specific and cancer-specific mortality among people with Type 2 diabetes, and thus provide recommendations for weight management in the population.

METHODS

This retrospective cohort study was conducted among 52 763 people with newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes between 1 January 2004 and 31 December 2014 in Shanghai, China. All cases of death were identified by linking to the Shanghai Vital Statistics. Some 52 488 people were included in the analysis. Survival curves for people with different BMI categories were plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method. Cox proportional hazard models within or without restricted cubic spline functions were applied to examine the potential non-linear or linear relationship between BMI and the risk of mortalities respectively.

RESULTS

A total of 4777 deaths were identified during an average of 6-year follow-up. An L-shaped association was observed between BMI and all-cause mortality in men (P for overall association < 0.001 and P for non-linearity < 0.001) while a U-shaped association was found in women (P for overall association < 0.001 and P for non-linearity< 0.001). In men, no significant association was observed for BMI with cancer-specific and CVD-specific mortality. In women, an increased risk of cancer-specific mortality was observed with increasing BMI, whereas decreasing BMI was associated with the increased CVD-specific mortality rate.

CONCLUSION

The increased all-cause mortality in men with low BMI and in women with either low or high BMI indicate the importance of keeping BMI in a normal range for Chinese adults with Type 2 diabetes.

Body mass index and risk of all-cause mortality with normoglycemia, impaired fasting glucose and prevalent diabetes: results from the Rural Chinese Cohort Study

BACKGROUND

Previous evidence of an association between body mass index (BMI) and mortality in patients with diabetes was inconsistent. The BMI-mortality association with normal fasting glucose (NFG), impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and prevalent diabetes is still unclear in the Chinese population.

METHODS

We analysed data for 17 252 adults from the Rural Chinese Cohort Study during 2007-2008 and followed for mortality during 2013-2014. Participants were classified with NFG, IFG and diabetes according to baseline measurement values of fasting glucose and self-reported diabetes. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate HRs and 95% CIs across BMI categories by glycemic status.

RESULTS

During the 6-year follow-up, 1109 participants died (563/10 181 with NFG, 349/5572 with IFG and 197/1499 with diabetes). The BMI-mortality association was curvilinear, with low BMI (even in normal range) associated with increased mortality regardless of glycemic status. In adjusted Cox models, risk of mortality showed a decreasing trend with BMI≤18 kg/m², 18<BMI≤20 kg/m² and 20<BMI≤22 kg/m² vs 22<BMI≤24 kg/m²: HR 2.83 (95% CI 1.78 to 4.51), 2.05 (1.46 to 2.87) and 1.45 (1.10 to 1.90), respectively, for NFG; 2.53 (1.25 to 5.14), 1.36 (0.86 to 2.14) and 1.09 (0.76 to 1.57), respectively, for IFG; and 4.03 (1.42 to 11.50), 2.00 (1.05 to 3.80) and 1.52 (0.88 to 2.60), respectively, for diabetes. The risk of mortality was lower for patients with diabetes who were overweight or obese versus normal weight.

CONCLUSIONS

Low BMI was associated with increased mortality regardless of glycemic status. Future studies are needed to explain the 'obesity paradox' in patients with diabetes.

Diabetes Among Non-Overweight Individuals: an Emerging Public Health Challenge

PURPOSE OF REVIEW

Overweight and obesity are well-established risk factors for type 2 diabetes. However, a substantial number of individuals develop the disease at underweight or normal weight. In this review, we discuss the epidemiology of type 2 diabetes in non-overweight adults; pose questions about etiology, pathophysiology, diagnosis, and prognosis; and examine implications for prevention and treatment.

RECENT FINDINGS

In population-based studies, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes ranged from 1.4-10.9%. However, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in individuals with BMI < 25 kg/m² ranged from 1.4-8.8%. In countries from Asia and Africa, the proportion of individuals with diabetes who were underweight or normal weight ranged from 24 to 66%, which is considerably higher than the US proportion of 10%. Impairments in insulin secretion, in utero undernutrition, and epigenetic alterations to the genome may play a role in diabetes development in this subgroup. A substantial number of individuals with type 2 diabetes, particularly those with recent ancestry from Asia or Africa, are underweight or normal weight. Future research should consist of comprehensive studies of the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in non-overweight individuals; studies aimed at understanding gaps in the mechanisms, etiology, and pathophysiology of diabetes development in underweight or normal weight individuals; and trials assessing the effectiveness of interventions in this population.

Body mass index and the all-cause mortality rate in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus

AIMS

The relationship between obesity and mortality rate among diabetic patients is a controversial topic. The aim of this study was to investigate the association between obesity and all-cause mortality risk in patients with type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

In this retrospective database study, 2383 patients with type 2 diabetes, who had been registered in the Isfahan Endocrine and Metabolism Research Center, Iran, were enrolled between 1992 and 2010. The mean (SD) of diabetes duration and follow-up period was 15.5 (8.0) and 7.8 (3.9) years. The main outcome was all-cause mortality. All-cause mortality rates were calculated for the body mass index (BMI) categories of underweight, normal, overweight and class I, II and III obese. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate the adjusted hazard ratio for BMI as categorical variable using BMI of 18.5-24.9 kg/m² as the reference group.

RESULTS

The mortality rate in patients with normal weight was higher than overweight patients (59.11 vs. 33.17 per 1000 person-years). The adjusted hazard ratios of all-cause mortality were 0.82 [95%CI 0.68-0.99; P = 0.037], 0.79 [95%CI 0.61-1.02; P = 0.069], 0.71 [95%CI 0.42-1.19; P = 0.191] and 1.36 [95%CI 0.55-3.33; P = 0.507] for overweight, class I, II and III obesity, respectively. When BMI was included in the Cox model as a time-dependent variable, the U-shaped relationship between BMI and all-cause mortality did not change.

CONCLUSIONS

The results show a U-shaped association of BMI with all-cause mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes with the lowest risk observed among the overweight patients.

Is there a relationship between body mass index and diabetic retinopathy in type II diabetic patients? A cross sectional study

BACKGROUND

Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) is one of the most important leading causes of disability, premature mortality and Diabetic Retinopathy (DR) that is one of the diabetes-related complications in diabetic patients and the most common cause of vision loss in diabetic patients. The aim of the study was to evaluate the association between DR and body mass index (BMI) in those patients with T2DM.

METHODS

This was a central-based, cross-sectional study on 518 diabetic patients. Their medical history and the laboratory data were collected. All the patients received examination of diabetic retinopathy by professional ophthalmologist. Based on their optic fundi findings, they were classified into five groups: No retinopathy, Mild Non-proliferative Diabetic Retinopathy (NPDR), Moderate NPDR, Severe NPDR, Proliferative diabetic retinopathy (PDR). To analysis data SPSS v18 software used. Frequency, percent, mean and standard deviation were used for population description. t test, spearman correlation, partial correlation, analysis of variance (ANOVA) and Chi-square test (χ2) were used for analytic analysis. Multivariate logistic regression was used to estimate the odds ratio.

RESULTS

518 patients with T2DM 198 male (38%), 320 female (62%) included in this study. The mean age of patients was 61.02 ± 10.18 years. The mean age at onset was 49.06 + 10.52 years and the mean duration of diabetes was 12.09 ± 7.81 years. There was a strong relationship between duration of diabetes and DR (P = 0.001). There were strong significant association between the development of DR and Insulin therapy (OR = 5.975). Correlation analysis between Retinopathy and BMI showed that BMI had inverse relationship with DR when BMI considered as a continuous variable (p-value = 0.009 and correlation coefficient = -0.467).

CONCLUSION

BMI in diabetic patient is one of the most important clinical parameter for their health and disease progression. We conclude that BMI had inverse relationship with DR when BMI considered as a continuous variable.

The Evidence for an Obesity Paradox in Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Although overweight/obesity is a major risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus, there is increasing evidence that overweight or obese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus experience lower mortality compared with patients of normal weight. This paradoxical finding, known as the "obesity paradox," occurs in other chronic diseases, and in type 2 diabetes mellitus is particularly perplexing given that lifestyle intervention with one goal being weight reduction is an important feature of the management of this condition. We summarize in this review the findings from clinical and epidemiologic studies that have investigated the association between overweight and obesity (usually assessed using body mass index [BMI]) and mortality in type 2 diabetes mellitus and discuss potential causes of the obesity paradox. We conclude that most studies show evidence of an obesity paradox, but important conflicting findings still exist. We also evaluate if potential bias might explain the obesity paradox in diabetes, including, for example, the presence of confounding factors, measurement error due to use of BMI as an index of obesity, and reverse causation.

Weight loss and mortality risk in patients with different adiposity at diagnosis of type 2 diabetes: a longitudinal cohort study

BACKGROUND

Undiagnosed comorbid diseases that independently lead to weight loss before type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) diagnosis could explain the observed increased mortality risk in T2DM patients with normal weight.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the impact of weight change patterns before the diagnosis of T2DM on the association between body mass index (BMI) at diagnosis and mortality risk.

METHODS

This was a longitudinal cohort study using 145,058 patients from UK primary care, with newly diagnosed T2DM from January 2000. Patients aged 18-70, without established disease history at diagnosis (defined as the presence of cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and renal diseases on or before diagnosis) were followed up to 2014. Longitudinal 6-monthly measures of bodyweight three years before (used to define groups of patients who lost bodyweight or not before diagnosis) and 2 years after diagnosis were obtained. The main outcome was all-cause mortality.

RESULTS

At diagnosis, mean (SD) age was 52 (12) years, 56% were male, 52% were current or ex-smokers, mean BMI was 33 kg/m², and 66% were obese. Normal weight and overweight patients experienced a small but significant reduction in body weight 6 months before diagnosis. Among all categories of obese patients, consistently increasing body weight was observed within the same time window. Among patients who did not lose body weight pre-diagnosis (n = 117,469), compared with the grade 1 obese, normal weight patients had 35% (95% CI of HR: 1.17, 1.55) significantly higher adjusted mortality risk. However, among patients experiencing weight loss before diagnosis (n = 27,589), BMI at diagnosis was not associated with mortality risk (all p > 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Weight loss before the diagnosis of T2DM was not associated with the observed increased mortality risk in normal weight patients with T2DM. This emphasises the importance of addressing risk factors post diagnosis for excess mortality in this group.

Body mass index and mortality in patients with and without diabetes mellitus

OBJECTIVE

Investigate the association between body mass index (BMI), length of stay (LOS), and mortality in hospitalized patients with and without diabetes mellitus (DM).

METHODS

Historical prospectively collected data of adult patients hospitalized between 2011 and 2013. Body mass index was calculated according to measurement or self-report on admission and classified as follows: underweight (<18.5), normal weight (18.5-24.9), overweight (25-29.9), obese (30-34.9), and severely obese (≥35). The main outcomes were LOS, in-hospital, and end-of-follow-up mortality.

RESULTS

Cohort included 24 233 patients (53% male; mean age ± SD, 65 ± 18), including 7397 patients with DM (31%). Among patients with normal BMI, LOS was shorter compared with underweight patients, but it was longer compared with overweight and obese patients. Following multivariate adjustment, this difference remained significant only for patients with DM. There was a significant interaction between DM status and BMI group, in the models for in-hospital and end-of-follow-up mortality. Compared with normal BMI, in-hospital mortality risk was increased by 80% and 100% for the underweight with and without DM, respectively. For patients with and without DM, in-hospital mortality risk was 30% to 40% lower among overweight and obese patients, and there was no difference between severely obese and normal weight patients. At the end-of-follow-up, mortality risk was 1.6-fold and 1.7-fold higher among underweight patients with and without DM, respectively. For overweight, obese, and severely obese patients, mortality risk was decreased by 30% to 40% in those with DM and by 20% to 30% in those without DM.

CONCLUSIONS

In hospitalized patients with and without DM, there was an inverse association between BMI and mortality.

Prognostic factors among TB and TB/DM comorbidity among patients on short course regimen within Nairobi and Kiambu counties in Kenya

Background

The double burden of diabetes mellitus (DM) and pulmonary tuberculosis (TB) is one of the global health challenges. Studies done in different parts of the world indicate that 12%-44% of TB disease is associated with DM. In Kenya TB-DM co-morbidity data is scarce and is not readily available. In this study we set to determine the difference in treatment outcomes among TB and TB/DM comorbidity patients and their respective clinical and socio-demographic characteristics.

Objective

To determine prognostic factors among TB and TB/DM comorbidity among patients on short course regimen within Nairobi and Kiambu counties in Kenya.

Methods

We carried out a prospective cohort study of non-pregnant patients aged 15 years and above that tested positive for TB in two peri‑urban counties in Kenya between February 2014 and August 2015. Clinical and socio demographic data were obtained from a questionnaire and medical records of the National TB program patient data base at two, three, five and six months. The data consisted of TB status, HIV status, TB lineage, County, (Glucose, %HbA1c, creatinine) weight, height, BMI, regimen, sex, level of education, employment status, distance from health facility, number of cigarettes smoked, home size, and diet. Univariate analysis was then used to compare each potential risk factor in the TB and TB/DM patients by the Pearson x² test of proportions or fisher exact test, as appropriate.

Results

DM prevalence (HbA1c > 6%) among TB infected patients was 37.2%. Regimen, employment status, alcohol intake, smoking, age and household size were some of the factors associated with DM among TB patients at p-value < 0.05. The number of cigarettes smoked per day and the value of the BUN were significant risk factors of developing DM among TB patients (p values = 0.045). Mean time to conversion from positive to negative was slightly higher for the TB-DM patients compared to the TB patents, though not statistically significant (p = 0.365).

Conclusion

Patients regimen, employment status, alcohol intake, smoking, age and are associated with DM among TB patients.

Effect of non-surgical weight management on weight and glycaemic control in people with type 2 diabetes: A comparison of interventional and non-interventional outcomes at 3 years

AIMS

To examine the long-term effectiveness of lifestyle weight management interventions, recommended in clinical guidelines for patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Electronic health records were used to follow 23 208 patients with T2DM and obesity in Glasgow, UK, for up to 3 years between 2005 and 2014. Patients were stratified by referral to and attendance at a lifestyle weight management intervention, and by attainment of a target weight loss of ≥5 kg over 7 to 9 sessions ("successful completers"). Outcomes were change in weight, glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) and diabetes medications.

RESULTS

A total of 3471 potentially eligible patients were referred to the service, and fewer than half of these attended (n = 1537). Of those who attended 7 to 9 sessions, >40% successfully completed and achieved 5-kg weight loss (334/808). Successful completers maintained greater weight loss (change at 3 years -8.03 kg; 95% confidence interval [CI] -9.44 to -6.62) than the non-completers (-3.26 kg; 95% CI -4.01 to -2.51; P < .001) and those not referred to the service (-1.00 kg; 95% CI -1.15 to -0.85; P < .001). Successful completers were the only patient group who did not increase their use of diabetes medication and insulin over 3 years. In adjusted models, successful completers had a clinically significant reduction in HbA1c (-3.7 mmol/mol; 95% CI -5.82 to -1.51) after 3 years; P ≤ .001) compared with non-completers and unsuccessful completers.

CONCLUSIONS

A real-life structured weight management intervention in patients with diabetes can reduce weight in the medium term, result in improved glycaemic control with fewer medications, and may be more effective than pharmacological alternatives. Challenges include getting a higher proportion of patients referred to and engaged with interventions.

BMI and Mortality in Patients With New-Onset Type 2 Diabetes: A Comparison With Age- and Sex-Matched Control Subjects From the General Population

OBJECTIVE

Type 2 diabetes is strongly associated with obesity, but the mortality risk related to elevated body weight in people with type 2 diabetes compared with people without diabetes has not been established.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS

We prospectively assessed short- and long-term mortality in people with type 2 diabetes with a recorded diabetes duration ≤5 years identified from the Swedish National Diabetes Register (NDR) between 1998 and 2012 and five age- and sex-matched control subjects per study participant from the general population.

RESULTS

Over a median follow-up of 5.5 years, there were 17,546 deaths among 149,345 patients with type 2 diabetes (mean age 59.6 years [40% women]) and 68,429 deaths among 743,907 matched control subjects. Short-term all-cause mortality risk (≤5 years) displayed a U-shaped relationship with BMI, with hazard ratios (HRs) ranging from 0.81 (95% CI 0.75-0.88) among patients with diabetes and BMI 30 to <35 kg/m² to 1.37 (95% CI 1.11-1.71) with BMI ≥40 kg/m² compared with control subjects after multiple adjustments. Long-term, all weight categories showed increased mortality, with a nadir at BMI 25 to <30 kg/m² and a stepwise increase up to HR 2.00 (95% CI 1.58-2.54) among patients with BMI ≥40 kg/m², that was more pronounced in patients <65 years old.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings suggest that the apparent paradoxical findings in other studies in this area may have been affected by reverse causality. Long-term, overweight (BMI 25 to <30 kg/m²) patients with type 2 diabetes had low excess mortality risk compared with control subjects, whereas risk in those with BMI ≥40 kg/m² was substantially increased.

Is there a link between availability of food and beverage establishments and BMI in Mexican adults?

Objective

To study the association between density of stores (food and beverage stores, stores selling only fruits and vegetables, and supermarkets) and the BMI of adults aged ≥20 years in Mexico.

Design

A cross-sectional study was performed. Individual data came from the 2012 National Health and Nutrition Survey, while information on stores was taken from the National Institute of Geography and Statistics’ National Statistics Directory of Economic Units. A weighted least-squares model was estimated to test the association between density of stores and BMI of adults adjusting for sex, age, education, presence of hypertension, diabetes or both, household assets index and marginality index at the municipality level.

Setting

Mexico.

Results

An additional 1 sd in the density of fruit and vegetable stores was associated with a reduction of 0·24 (95 % CI −0·37, −0·12) kg/m2 in BMI when the densities of the other stores were at their mean values. For food and beverage store density, a difference of 1 sd was associated with an increase of 0·50 (95 % CI 0·33, 0·67) kg/m2 in BMI, while for supermarkets the corresponding association was a reduction of 0·48 (95 % CI −1·52, 0·56) kg/m2 in BMI.

Conclusions

In places with a higher density of stores that offer unhealthy foods, the BMI of adults tends to be higher.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: Evolving paradigms

In the last years new evidence has accumulated on nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) challenging the paradigms that had been holding the scene over the previous 30 years. NAFLD has such an epidemic prevalence as to make it impossible to screen general population looking for NAFLD cases. Conversely, focusing on those cohorts of individuals exposed to the highest risk of NAFLD could be a more rational approach. NAFLD, which can be diagnosed with either non-invasive strategies or through liver biopsy, is a pathogenically complex and clinically heterogeneous disease. The existence of metabolic as opposed to genetic-associated disease, notably including "lean NAFLD" has recently been recognized. Moreover, NAFLD is a systemic condition, featuring metabolic, cardiovascular and (hepatic/extra-hepatic) cancer risk. Among the clinico-laboratory features of NAFLD we discuss hyperuricemia, insulin resistance, atherosclerosis, gallstones, psoriasis and selected endocrine derangements. NAFLD is a precursor of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and metabolic syndrome and progressive liver disease develops in T2D patients in whom the course of disease is worsened by NAFLD. Finally, lifestyle changes and drug treatment options to be implemented in the individual patient are also critically discussed. In conclusion, this review emphasizes the new concepts on clinical and pathogenic heterogeneity of NAFLD, a systemic disorder with a multifactorial pathogenesis and protean clinical manifestations. It is highly prevalent in certain cohorts of individuals who are thus potentially amenable to selective screening strategies, intensive follow-up schedules for early identification of liver-related and extrahepatic complications and in whom earlier and more aggressive treatment schedules should be carried out whenever possible.