Physical activity, adiposity, and diabetes risk in middle-aged and older Chinese population: The Guangzhou Biobank cohort study

Li Qin, Eva Corpeleijn, Chaoqiang Jiang, G. Neil Thomas, C. Mary Schooling, Weisen Zhang, Kar Keung Cheng, Gabriel M. Leung, Ronald P. Stolk, Tai Hing Lam

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36 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

OBJECTIVE- Physical activity may modify the association of adiposity with type 2 diabetes. We investigated the independent and joint association of adiposity and physical activity with fasting plasma glucose, impaired fasting glucose, and type 2 diabetes in a Chinese population. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS- Middle-aged and older Chinese (n = 28,946, ≥50 years, 72.4%women) from the Guangzhou Biobank Cohort Study were examined in 2003-2008. Multivariable regression was used in a cross-sectional analysis. RESULTS- BMI, waist circumference, and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were positively associated with type 2 diabetes after multiple adjustment, most strongly for WHR with odds ratio (OR) of 3.99 (95% CI 3.60-4.42) for highest compared with lowest tertile. Lack of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, but not walking, was associated with diabetes with an OR of 1.29 (1.17-1.41). The association of moderate-to-vigorous activity with fasting glucose varied with WHR tertiles (P=0.01 for interaction). Within the highWHRtertile, participants who had a lack of moderate-to-vigorous activity had an OR of 3.87 (3.22-4.65) for diabetes, whereas those who were active had an OR of 2.94 (2.41-3.59). CONCLUSIONS- In this population, WHR was a better measure of adiposity-related diabetes risk than BMI or waist circumference. Higher moderate-to-vigorous activity was associated with lower diabetes risk, especially in abdominally obese individuals.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)2342-2348
Number of pages7
JournalDiabetes Care
Volume33
Issue number11
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2010
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • Internal Medicine
  • Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism
  • Advanced and Specialised Nursing

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