In recent research shared at a major health conference in Venice, Italy, scientists made a discovery about how much adults with type 2 diabetes should weigh to lower their chances of dying from heart-related diseases.
These diseases include heart attacks, strokes, and issues with the kidneys that can come from having a bad heart.
The study used a big collection of health information from the UK to find out what the best weight range is for these individuals.
For adults who are 65 or younger and have type 2 diabetes, keeping their weight in a specific range that doctors call the “normal” Body Mass Index (BMI) of 23 to 25 helps them have the lowest chance of dying from heart problems.
But for those over 65, it turns out being a bit overweight (with a BMI of 26 to 28) is actually safer.
Why does this matter? Well, for people with type 2 diabetes, the risk of heart disease and dying from it is higher, so knowing the best weight can really help.
Before this study, we didn’t really know if the perfect weight for avoiding heart disease was the same for younger and older people with diabetes.
The researchers looked at data from 22,874 people who had type 2 diabetes when they joined the UK Biobank study between 2006 and 2010. They didn’t leave anyone out, even if they already had heart problems.
These participants were followed for about 13 years to see who would die from heart diseases. They were mostly around 59 years old, and more than half were women.
By examining groups based on age (those over 65 and those 65 or younger), the study tried to understand how BMI, waist size, and the ratio of waist to height relate to the risk of dying from heart issues.
They also looked at how factors like smoking, drinking, how much you move, and past heart problems could affect these findings.
For younger adults, having a BMI that’s considered overweight increased their risk of dying from heart disease by 13% compared to those in the normal weight range.
Interestingly, older adults in the overweight category had an 18% lower risk of dying than those who were in the normal weight range.
The study showed a U-shaped connection between BMI and the risk of dying from heart problems, meaning the safest BMI was different for younger and older people.
For younger adults, the best BMI was 24, but for older adults, it was 27. This suggests doctors might need to give different weight advice based on a patient’s age.
Waist size and the ratio of waist to height were also linked to higher heart disease death risk, indicating that as people’s middles get larger, so does their risk, regardless of age.
Dr. Shaoyong Xu, the lead researcher, explained that the ideal weight for people with type 2 diabetes changes with age.
This could mean that older adults who are a bit overweight might be better off maintaining their weight rather than trying to lose it to avoid heart disease risks.
He also mentioned that being somewhat overweight could actually protect older adults from certain deadly conditions, possibly because they have more bone mass and nutritional reserves to deal with health crises.
The study, however, is observational, so it can’t prove that these weight ranges cause a lower risk of death. There were also some limits, like not having enough details on the specific heart diseases or how they were treated.
Most participants were white, so the findings might not apply to everyone. Plus, since weight can change over time and the study only measured it once, there’s a chance some details might not be completely accurate.
In the future, focusing more on measures like waist size could help doctors give even better advice on how to avoid heart disease, especially in people with type 2 diabetes.
If you care about health, please read studies about the benefits of low-dose lithium supplements, and what we know about egg intake and heart disease.
For more information about health, please see recent studies about potatoes and high blood pressure, and results showing 6 best breads for people with heart disease.
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