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Evolution of body mass index in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus

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Abstract

The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity has risen during the last 30 years, not only in children with type 2 diabetes, but also those with type 1 (T1D) and this is linked with an increased cardiovascular risk. A better understanding of weight patterns in the years after diagnosis of T1D is important to identify those children with a risk for excess weight gain and strategies to decrease this. We retrospectively analyzed data of all children with T1D followed at the department of Pediatric Endocrinology Leuven and diagnosed between 1991 and 2015. Data as age, sex, BMI, and Tanner score were extracted in 390 subjects. Standardized BMI (BMI SDS) in this study group using all data was 0.26. An increase in BMI SDS was seen as a function of time since diagnosis and age, both being independent predictors. Data comparison showed a significant stronger relation between BMI SDS and both time since diagnosis and age in girls. Children diagnosed after puberty showed a higher increase in BMI SDS.

Conclusion: These longitudinal data suggest an important increase in BMI in children with T1D, both as a function of time since diagnosis and age, especially in girls.

What is Known:

• The prevalence of childhood overweight and obesity is risen during the last 30 years, in children with type 2 diabetes, but also those with type 1 diabetes.

What is New:

• Our study demonstrates with longitudinal data an increase in BMI in children with type 1 diabetes, especially girls. The increase in BMI SDS is seen as a function of time since diagnosis and age, both being independent predictors. Given the increased risk of metabolic syndrome and other complications in overweight children, special attention is needed to prevent this evolution.

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Abbreviations

BMI:

Body mass index

BMI SDS:

Body mass index standard deviation score

HbA1c:

Hemoglobin A1c

IQR:

Interquartile range

N:

Number

T1D:

Type 1 diabetes

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Pediatrics, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Marijke De Keukelaere, Nele Reynaert, Eva Vandoorne, Kristel Vande Kerckhove, Willeke Asscherickx & Kristina Casteels

  2. I-Biostat, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Steffen Fieuws

  3. Department of Endocrinology, University Hospitals Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Kristel Vande Kerckhove

  4. Department of Development and Regeneration, KU Leuven, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Kristina Casteels

  5. UZLeuven, Pediatrie, Herestraat 49, 3000, Leuven, Belgium

    Kristina Casteels

Authors
  1. Marijke De Keukelaere
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  2. Steffen Fieuws
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  3. Nele Reynaert
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  4. Eva Vandoorne
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  5. Kristel Vande Kerckhove
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  6. Willeke Asscherickx
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  7. Kristina Casteels
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Contributions

M De Keukelaere and K Casteels: writing of the article

S Fieuws: statistical analyses

N Reynaert, E Vandoorne, K Vande Kerckhove, and W Asscherickx: clinical data, reading, and advice

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Kristina Casteels.

Ethics declarations

Data were anonymized and the study was approved by the Ethical Review Board of the University Hospitals.

Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest.

Informed consent

Informed consent was obtained from all individual participants included in the study.

Additional information

Communicated by Peter de Winter

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De Keukelaere, M., Fieuws, S., Reynaert, N. et al. Evolution of body mass index in children with type 1 diabetes mellitus. Eur J Pediatr 177, 1661–1666 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-018-3224-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00431-018-3224-9

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