Obesity in young men, and individual and combined risks of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular morbidity and death before 55 years of age: a Danish 33-year follow-up study

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Morten Schmidt, Aarhus University Hospital; Sigrun A Johannesdottir, Aarhus University Hospital; Stanley Lemeshow, Aarhus University Hospital; Timothy L Lash, Emory University; Sinna P Ulrichsen, Aarhus University Hospital; Hans Erik Botker, Aarhus University Hospital; Henrik Toft Sorensen, Aarhus University Hospital
• Language: English
• Date: 2013-01-01
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2013, British Medical Journal
• License: Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial 3.0 Unported
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1136/bmjopen-2013-002698
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: BMJ Open
• ISSN: 2044-6055
• Volume: 3
• Issue: 4
• Start Page: e002698
• End Page: e002698
• Grant/Funding Information: None of the funding sources had a role in the design, conduct, analysis or reporting of the study.; The study was supported by Aarhus University Research Foundation, Department of Clinical Epidemiology's Research Foundation, ‘Augustinusfonden’, ‘Snedkermester Sophus Jacobsen & Hustru Astrid Jacobsens Fond’ and ‘Fabrikant Karl G. Andersens Fond’.; The Department of Clinical Epidemiology is a member of the Danish Center for Strategic Research in Type 2 Diabetes (Danish Research Council, grants 09-075724 and 10-079102).
• Keywords: Science & Technology; NATIONWIDE COHORT; MIDDLE-AGE; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; CAUSE-SPECIFIC MORTALITY; CORONARY-HEART-DISEASE; MYOCARDIAL-INFARCTION; Medicine, General & Internal; VENOUS THROMBOEMBOLISM; SUBSEQUENT MORTALITY; ADULT MORTALITY; BODY-MASS INDEX; UNITED-STATES; General & Internal Medicine
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Public Health; Health Sciences, Epidemiology

Abstract

Objectives: To examine the association between body mass index (BMI) in young adulthood and cardiovascular risks, including venous thromboembolism, before 55 years of age. Design: Cohort study using population-based medical databases. Setting: Outcomes registered from all hospitals in Denmark from 1977 onwards. Participants: 6502 men born in 1955 and eligible for conscription in Northern Denmark. Main outcome measures: Follow-up began at participants' 22nd birthday and continued until death, emigration or 55 years of age, whichever came first. Using regression analyses, we calculated the risks and HRs, adjusting for cognitive test score and years of education. Results: 48% of all obese young men (BMI =30 kg/m2) were either diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, hypertension, myocardial infarction, stroke or venous thromboembolism or died before reaching 55 years of age. Comparing obese men with normal weight men (BMI 18.5 to < 25.0 kg/m2), the risk difference for any outcome was 28% (95% CI 19% to 38%) and the HR was 3.0 (95% CI 2.3 to 4.0). Compared with normal weight, obesity was associated with an event rate that was increased more than eightfold for type 2 diabetes, fourfold for venous thromboembolism and twofold for hypertension, myocardial infarction and death. Conclusions: In this cohort of young men, obesity was strongly associated with adverse cardiometabolic events before 55 years of age, including venous thromboembolism. Compared with those of normal weight, young obese men had an absolute risk increase for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular morbidity or premature death of almost 30%.