Original scientific paper
Obesity in Type 2 Diabetes: Prevalence, Treatment Trends and Dilemmas
Tamara Poljičanin
Ivana Pavlić-Renar
Željko Metelko
Abstract
This retrospective observational study investigated the prevalence of obesity in persons with type 2 diabetes, trends in
obesity resulting from the duration and treatment of diabetes, and treatment-related changes in HbA1c and body mass
index (BMI). Data on 1773 type 2 diabetics (802 men and 971 women) were obtained from the CroDiabNET registry. Follow-
up included the analysis of patients’ age, disease duration, diabetes treatment, BMI and HbA1c values. A significantly
higher rate of overweight and obesity was found in persons with type 2 diabetes as compared to the general population.
A significant decrease in BMI was observed in the groups treated by diet, and in those treated by oral hypoglycaemic
agents (p<0.05), regardless of their pharmacotherapeutic group, in contrast to a significant increase in BMI observed in
the groups treated with insulin (alone or in combination with oral hypoglycaemic agents) (p<0.05). Persons with type 2
diabetes lost weight only during the first years of the disease, while with diabetes duration and insulin treatment they regained
weight. A significant increase in HbA1c was observed in the groups treated with sulfonylureas (p<0.05), whereas
all other groups revealed either a significant decrease (p<0.05) or no change in HbA1c. Our findings suggest the necessity
of an integrated approach to managing type 2 diabetic patients that would simultaneously address both diabetes and
obesity. Good glycaemic control is imperative and diabetes treatment should not be postponed. Because of a possible concomitant
weight gain, aggressive weight control measures should be applied concurrently in order to achieve maximum
treatment benefit.
Keywords
diabetes mellitus; epidemiology; obesity; overweight; prevalence; weight gain
Hrčak ID:
72181
URI
Publication date:
30.9.2011.
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