Weight status of the first-degree relatives of patients with type 2 diabetes based on the glucose tolerance test

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare different body mass index (BMI) categories in individuals with diabetes, prediabetes and normal glucose tolerance among the first degree relatives of type 2 diabetic patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted during 2005-2007 in Isfahan, Iran. It evaluated 3323 first-degree relatives of diabetic patients selected by consecutive convenient sampling method. Participants were classified as diabetic, prediabetic, and normal glucose tolerance test groups according to the results of 75 g oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT). The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used for comparison of quantitative variables, and chi square test for comparison of categorical parameters. RESULTS: The study population consisted of 3323 individuals including 306 diabetics (98 males and 208 females), 1309 prediabetics (337 males and 972 females), and 1708 normal subjects (430 males and 1278 females). Among diabetic patients, the prevalence of obesity was 48.5% in women and 27.6% in men. Among prediabetics, the corresponding figures were 45.6% and 27.3%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that men are diagnosed with T2DM at lower BMI than women. Moreover, the alarming high prevalence of overweight and obesity among females necessitates preventing and controlling this underlying problem among females.