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High adolescent BMI may increase adult diabetes risk

Category: Diabetes

Overweight children may be more likely to receive unhealthy HbA1c test results later in life, according to a new study published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

A team of Israeli researchers analyzed the medical records of 37,000 individuals who entered the armed forces at age 17. They follow participants' records for up to 17 years. The results of the study showed that individuals who had unhealthy body mass indexes during their teen years were significantly more likely to develop type 2 diabetes and heart disease later in life.

"This study is significant because it demonstrates that the association exists within the currently considered normal values for BMI, having distinct effect on two diseases occurring in early adulthood and in an age group that is frequently neglected," said professor Assaf Rudich, who led the research.

He added that the findings underscore the need to develop effective preventative programs that get children more active and eating healthier diets. These are two of the most important factors that contribute to type 2 diabetes and heart disease.