Body composition in young female adults with Type 1 diabetes mellitus. A prospective case-control study

• Aims: Overweight is common during late puberty in female patients with Type 1 diabetes. The aim of this study was to examine the change in body composition from late puberty to early adulthood in such female patients in comparison with age-matched control subjects. Methods: Eighteen females with Type 1 diabetes and 19 healthy female control subjects were recruited for a case-control study at the age of 16-19 years (baseline). Six years later, 16 of the diabetic females and 17 of the control subjects were re-examined (follow-up). Body composition was assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Results: Body mass index (BMI) and fat mass index (total fat mass/height(2)) were significantly higher at baseline in the diabetic patients than in the control subjects (26.4 +/- 2.6 vs. 23.9 +/- 3.7 kg/m(2), P < 0.05, and 10.0 +/- 2.4 vs. 8.0 +/- 2.8 kg/m(2), P = 0.04, respectively). At follow-up, these parameters still tended to be higher in the diabetic group (27.8 +/- 4.9 vs. 24.6 +/- 5.7 kg/m(2), P = 0.09, and 11.8 +/- 5.6 vs. 8.7 +/- 4.9 kg/m(2), P = 0.05, respectively). BMI at baseline was strongly correlated to BMI at follow-up in both diabetic patients (r = 0.60; P < 0.05) and control subjects (r = 0.83; P < 0.01). Conclusions: Increased fat mass in pubertal girls with Type 1 diabetes seems to persist in young adulthood. This study emphasizes the need for new strategies to prevent the development of overweight during puberty in diabetic girls.

Nyckelord

Adolescents

Body composition

Dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry prospective case-control study

Type 1 diabetes

MEDICINE

MEDICIN

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