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. 2024 Oct 3:77:102869.
doi: 10.1016/j.eclinm.2024.102869. eCollection 2024 Nov.

Prevalence of obesity in people with and without type 1 diabetes across Belgium, Kuwait, and Mexico: an IMI2 SOPHIA study

Ebaa Al Ozairi  1 , Nele Steenackers  2 , Sofia Pazmino  2 , Abdulnabi T Alattar  1   3 , Jumana Al Kandari  1   3 , Paloma Almeda-Valdes  4 , Neftali Eduardo Antonio-Villa  5 , Carl Delfin  6 , Raquel N Faradji  7   8 , Aili García-Tuomola A  8 , Mohammad Irshad  1 , Joseph C Longenecker  9 , Jonathan Rosen  10 , Carmen Hurtado Del Pozo  10 , Thomas Sparsø  6 , Astrid Lavens  11 , Chantal Mathieu  2   12 , Bart Van der Schueren  2   12 , Carel W le Roux  13
Affiliations

Prevalence of obesity in people with and without type 1 diabetes across Belgium, Kuwait, and Mexico: an IMI2 SOPHIA study

Ebaa Al Ozairi et al. EClinicalMedicine. .

Abstract

Background: Individuals with type 1 diabetes (T1D) are traditionally perceived as lean, but recent evidence suggests an increasing trend of obesity. To provide global estimates, this study explored the prevalence of obesity among adults with and without T1D across three distinct global regions.

Methods: An observational, cross-sectional study was performed utilizing data from T1D registries and national health surveys to assess the prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2) and the prevalence of overweight and obesity (BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2) across Belgium, Kuwait, and Mexico. Demographic and clinical characteristics of adults with and without T1D were assessed. Prevalence estimates were calculated through a binomial generalized linear mixed-effects model adjusting for age, sex, HbA1c, and survey year. As a sensitivity analysis, propensity score matching was performed for confounder adjustment of age and sex.

Findings: The study encompassed 3594 individuals with T1D (from 2003 to 2022) and 9898 without T1D (from 2014 to 2021). After model adjustment for confounders (age, sex, HbA1c% and data-collection year), individual obesity prevalence was lower in individuals with T1D in Kuwait and Mexico than among those without type 1 diabetes (Kuwait: 22% (CI: 18-26%) vs. 44% (CI: 41-48%); Mexico: 5% (CI: 3-7%) vs. 40% (CI: 38-42%)). In contrast, individuals with T1D in Belgium showed a more comparable proportions to those without T1D (12% (CI: 9-16%) vs. 16% (CI:11-22%)).

Interpretation: Our data reveal that obesity is prevalent among people with T1D. These findings underscore the need for targeted strategies in T1D care that address the growing concern of obesity.

Funding: This manuscript is part of the Stratification of Obesity Phenotypes to Optimize Future Obesity Therapy (SOPHIA) project (www.imisophia.eu). SOPHIA has received funding from the Innovative Medicines Initiative 2 Joint Undertaking under grant agreement No. 875534. This Joint Undertaking support from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation program and EFPIA and type 1 diabetes Exchange, Breakthrough T1D, and Obesity Action Coalition.

Keywords: Obesity; Type 1 diabetes.

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Conflict of interest statement

EO, NS, SP, ATA, JAK, NEAV, RNF, AGT, MI, JCL, CHdP, AL, and BV: declare no competing interests. CR declared grants, consulting fees, payment of honoraria for lectures, presentations, support for attending meetings, and stocks. CD declared being employed by Novo Nordisk. JR declared a leadership position at Breakthrough T1D. PAV declared payment of honoraria, support attending meetings and participation on a data safety monitoring or advisory board. TS declared to hold shares in Novo Nordisk. CM declared to receive payment of honoraria for lectures, presentations and participation on a data safety monitoring or advisory board.

Figures

Fig. 1
Fig. 1
Correlation between BMI and HbA1c levels across countries in individuals with and without type 1 diabetes fitted with a smoothed conditional means with shaded 95% confidence intervals.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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