American adults of normal weight with new-onset diabetes are more likely to die than overweight and obese adults with the same disease, according to a new study.
The study, published in the August 7 issue of JAMA, finds that normal-weight participants experienced both significantly higher total and noncardiovascular mortality than overweight or obese participants.
Normal-weight adults with type 2 diabetes have been understudied because those who typically develop the disease are overweight or obese. In this study, about 10 percent of those with new-onset diabetes were at a normal weight when they found out they had the disease.
Being overweight is a risk factor for developing this disease, but other risk factors such as family history, ethnicity, and age may play a role.
