Low birthweight is associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Japanese adults: The Toon Health Study.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: Low birthweight is reportedly associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus; however, this association has not been confirmed in the Japanese population, and whether high birthweight is associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus is controversial. We aimed to investigate the association between birthweight and type 2 diabetes mellitus among a general Japanese population.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Overall 1,135 middle- to old-aged Japanese men and women were enrolled in the Toon Health Study. A 75-g oral glucose tolerance test was used to diagnose type 2 diabetes mellitus, and a questionnaire survey about birthweight was administered. The association between birthweight and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus in later life of the participants was examined using multivariable logistic regression analysis. Stratified analysis by current body mass index was also carried out.

RESULTS

The mean age was 56.5 ± 12.2 years. Type 2 diabetes mellitus was observed in 9.3% of the participants in this study. Compared with the reference group (2,500-3,999 g), the adjusted odds ratio of the low-birthweight group (<2,500 g) for type 2 diabetes mellitus was 2.46 (95% confidence interval 1.48-4.10). The association between the high-birthweight group (≥4000 g) and type 2 diabetes mellitus was not significant after including family history of diabetes in the multivariable model. The odds ratio of the low-birthweight group for type 2 diabetes mellitus was higher in the overweight/obese group than in the non-overweight group.

CONCLUSIONS

Low birthweight was associated with an increased risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus in a Japanese population, especially in overweight/obese individuals.