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Birth weight and risk of type 2 diabetes, abdominal obesity and hypertension among Chinese adults

Shanghai Institute of Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Shanghai Clinical Center for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases, Ruijin Hospital affiliated to School of Medicine, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Ruijin Er Lu, Shanghai 20025, China, ¹ Endocrine and Metabolic Division, Public Health Faculty, E-institutes of Shanghai Universities, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, ² Department of Endocrinology, Shanghai Yangpu District Central Hospital, Shanghai 200090, China and ³ Department of Public Health Sciences, Public Health Faculty, Karolinska Institute, Stockholm 17177, Sweden

(Correspondence should be addressed to M Luo & Q Cheng; Email: luomin20051122{at}hotmail.com; qicheng{at}shsmu.edu.cn)

Objective: To investigate the association between birth weight and risk of type 2 diabetes, abdominal obesity and hypertension among Chinese adults.

Research methods and procedures: Nine hundred and seventy-three individuals from a population-based cross-sectional survey for the prevalence of type 2 diabetes conducted in Shanghai in 2002 were enrolled and followed up to 2004 with yearly examination. Birth weight was classified into four categories: <2500, 2500–2999, 3000–3499 and 3500 g.

Results: In this study, there were 373 males and 600 females, with a mean age of 46.2±9.9 years. Fasting plasma glucose was higher in subjects with the lowest birth weight (<2500 g) compared with those with the highest birth weight. Waist circumference and systolic blood pressure showed U-shaped relationships with birth weight. Birth weight was found to be an independent risk factor for type 2 diabetes, abdominal obesity and hypertension. For type 2 diabetes, the crude odds ratio (95% confidence interval) was 3.17 (1.48–6.78) in the lowest birth weight category when compared with that in the highest birth weight category (3500 g) and the ratio increased to 3.97 (1.71–9.22) after adjustment for related variables. The highest prevalence of type 2 diabetes (34.5%) was observed among those with the lowest birth weight and abdominal obesity.

Conclusions: Birth weight is inversely associated with the risk of type 2 diabetes. Subjects with the lowest or the highest birth weight were associated with a high risk of developing abdominal obesity and hypertension. Low birth weight coupled with abdominal obesity is a strong predictor of type 2 diabetes.