Differential associations between birthweight and cardiometabolic characteristics among persons with and without type 2 diabetes in the UK Biobank
(2025) In Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease 16.- Abstract
Low birthweight is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. We hypothesised that differential associations between birthweight and clinical characteristics in persons with and without type 2 diabetes may provide novel insights into the role of birthweight in type 2 diabetes and its progression. We analysed UK Biobank data from 9,442 persons with and 254,446 without type 2 diabetes. Associations between birthweight, clinical traits, and genetic predisposition were assessed using adjusted linear and logistic regression, comparing the lowest and highest 25% of birthweight to the middle 50%. Each kg increase in birthweight was associated with higher BMI, waist, and hip circumference, with stronger effects in persons with versus without type 2... (More)
Low birthweight is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. We hypothesised that differential associations between birthweight and clinical characteristics in persons with and without type 2 diabetes may provide novel insights into the role of birthweight in type 2 diabetes and its progression. We analysed UK Biobank data from 9,442 persons with and 254,446 without type 2 diabetes. Associations between birthweight, clinical traits, and genetic predisposition were assessed using adjusted linear and logistic regression, comparing the lowest and highest 25% of birthweight to the middle 50%. Each kg increase in birthweight was associated with higher BMI, waist, and hip circumference, with stronger effects in persons with versus without type 2 diabetes (BMI: 0.74 [0.58, 0.90] vs. 0.21 [0.18, 0.24] kg/m2; waist: 2.15 [1.78, 2.52] vs. 1.04 [0.98, 1.09] cm; hip: 1.65 [1.33, 1.97] vs. 1.04 [1.04, 1.09] cm). Family history of diabetes was associated with higher birthweight regardless of diabetes status, albeit with a twofold higher effect estimate in type 2 diabetes. Low birthweight was further associated with prior myocardial infarction regardless of type 2 diabetes status (OR 1.33 [95% CI 1.11, 1.60] for type 2 diabetes; 1.23 [95% CI 1.13, 1.33] without), and hypertension (OR 1.25 [1.23, 1.28] and stroke 1.24 [1.14, 1.34]) only among persons without type 2 diabetes. Differential associations between birthweight and cardiometabolic traits in persons with and without type 2 diabetes illuminate potential causal inferences reflecting the roles of pre- and postnatal environmental versus genetic aetiologies and disease mechanisms.
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- author
- Hansen, Aleksander L. ; Lee, Christina Ji Young ; Björgvinsdóttir, Aldis H. ; Ahluwalia, Tarunveer S. ; Brons, Charlotte ; Torp-Pedersen, Christian and Vaag, Allan LU
- organization
- publishing date
- 2025-02
- type
- Contribution to journal
- publication status
- published
- subject
- keywords
- birthweight, cardiovascular disease, foetal programming, genetics, Type 2 diabetes
- in
- Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease
- volume
- 16
- article number
- e12
- publisher
- Cambridge University Press
- external identifiers
-
- scopus:86000000438
- pmid:40012481
- ISSN
- 2040-1744
- DOI
- 10.1017/S2040174425000066
- language
- English
- LU publication?
- yes
- id
- fa843d9c-695a-4c31-bb44-760d4cd056cd
- date added to LUP
- 2025-06-19 11:11:01
- date last changed
- 2025-07-17 14:15:34
@article{fa843d9c-695a-4c31-bb44-760d4cd056cd,
abstract = {{<p>Low birthweight is a risk factor for type 2 diabetes. We hypothesised that differential associations between birthweight and clinical characteristics in persons with and without type 2 diabetes may provide novel insights into the role of birthweight in type 2 diabetes and its progression. We analysed UK Biobank data from 9,442 persons with and 254,446 without type 2 diabetes. Associations between birthweight, clinical traits, and genetic predisposition were assessed using adjusted linear and logistic regression, comparing the lowest and highest 25% of birthweight to the middle 50%. Each kg increase in birthweight was associated with higher BMI, waist, and hip circumference, with stronger effects in persons with versus without type 2 diabetes (BMI: 0.74 [0.58, 0.90] vs. 0.21 [0.18, 0.24] kg/m<sup>2</sup>; waist: 2.15 [1.78, 2.52] vs. 1.04 [0.98, 1.09] cm; hip: 1.65 [1.33, 1.97] vs. 1.04 [1.04, 1.09] cm). Family history of diabetes was associated with higher birthweight regardless of diabetes status, albeit with a twofold higher effect estimate in type 2 diabetes. Low birthweight was further associated with prior myocardial infarction regardless of type 2 diabetes status (OR 1.33 [95% CI 1.11, 1.60] for type 2 diabetes; 1.23 [95% CI 1.13, 1.33] without), and hypertension (OR 1.25 [1.23, 1.28] and stroke 1.24 [1.14, 1.34]) only among persons without type 2 diabetes. Differential associations between birthweight and cardiometabolic traits in persons with and without type 2 diabetes illuminate potential causal inferences reflecting the roles of pre- and postnatal environmental versus genetic aetiologies and disease mechanisms.</p>}},
author = {{Hansen, Aleksander L. and Lee, Christina Ji Young and Björgvinsdóttir, Aldis H. and Ahluwalia, Tarunveer S. and Brons, Charlotte and Torp-Pedersen, Christian and Vaag, Allan}},
issn = {{2040-1744}},
keywords = {{birthweight; cardiovascular disease; foetal programming; genetics; Type 2 diabetes}},
language = {{eng}},
publisher = {{Cambridge University Press}},
series = {{Journal of Developmental Origins of Health and Disease}},
title = {{Differential associations between birthweight and cardiometabolic characteristics among persons with and without type 2 diabetes in the UK Biobank}},
url = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S2040174425000066}},
doi = {{10.1017/S2040174425000066}},
volume = {{16}},
year = {{2025}},
}