Overweight and obesity among type 2 diabetes mellitus: are they associated with age, gender, duration of diabetes and glycemic control?

Background: Overweight and obesity in diabetes are linked to reduced quality of life, increased risk of heart disease, higher medical care costs, and premature mortality. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity among type 2 diabetes mellitus outpatients at Hospital University Sains Malaysia and to assess associations with age, gender, duration of diabetes, and glycaemic control. Methods: A total of 1077 type 2 diabetes mellitus patients attending the diabetes clinic at University Sains Malaysia teaching hospital in Kelantan were included. This observational, cross-sectional study was conducted from January to December 2008. Data collected comprised age, gender, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), duration of diabetes, blood pressure, and other relevant parameters. Lipid and blood glucose levels were measured. Descriptive analysis assessed the independent effects of variables on obesity. The Chi-square test evaluated associations between overweight/obesity and independent variables (age, gender, duration of diabetes, and glycemic control). A P value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The present study recruited 1077 Type 2 DM patients aged 18 to 88 years. The majority, 58.1% of patients in this study, were in the age group of 50-65 years. About 56% were female, and the majority of patients 74.6% had diabetes for more than 5 years, and the mean BMI was 26.9±4.7. In this study, 35% had a target body mass index (<25 kg/m2), 42.34% had overweight (≥ 25-29.9 kg/m2), and 22.66% had obesity ≥ 30 kg/m2). This analysis indicated that overweight/ obesity was positively associated with the age of patients (P<0.001), gender (P=0.004), and duration of diabetes (P=0.001), and there is no association with glycemic control (P=0.183). Conclusion: The prevalence of overweight and obesity was high in the present study. The prevalence of obesity increases with age, gender, and duration of diabetes. Proper management and active intervention are needed to control obesity, especially in elderly and female patients who have a longer duration of diabetes.