Increasing body mass index identifies Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus at risk of poor outcomes

AimsAssociation between body mass index (BMI) and glycemic control, comorbidities/complications, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) was assessed in Chinese patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) enrolled in the Diabetes Disease Specific Programme.MethodsSurveys of 200 physicians and 2052 patients with T2DM captured demographic, clinical, and HRQoL information. Adjusted and unadjusted analyses were conducted across 3 BMI groups; normal (18.5-<24.0, n = 998), overweight (24.0-<28.0, n = 822), and obese (≥ 28.0, n = 212).ResultsThere were no between group differences in the achievement of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) < 7.0% (48 mmol/mol); however, compared with the normal BMI group, more obese patients had an HbA1c > 9.0% (75 mmol/mol; 4.3% vs 10.2%, P = 0.002). More obese patients compared with normal BMI patients had hypertension (48.6% vs 35.3%, P < 0.001), dyslipidemia (35.4% vs 18.8%, P < 0.001), or both hypertension and dyslipidemia (24.1% vs 13.9%, P < 0.001). Patients in the obese group reported worse HRQoL and greater effects of diabetes on their daily living.ConclusionsObesity in Chinese patients with T2DM results in poor glycemic control, more comorbidities, and worse HRQoL. Management of these patients should include efforts to reduce weight. Selection of weight-neutral or weight-reducing anti-diabetic medications maybe useful in these patients.