Mixed
For middle-aged and elderly adults with type 2 diabetes, maintaining a longitudinal BMI within 18.5–26.9 kg/m² significantly reduces all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality compared to lower or higher sustained BMI levels.
If you have type 2 diabetes, aim to keep your BMI between 18.5 and 26.9 kg/m² over the long term. This range is associated with the lowest risk of death from all causes, heart disease, and cancer. Avoid sustained periods where your BMI is consistently above 27 kg/m², as this increases mortality risk.
longer sustenance of BMI within the range of 18.5–26.9 kg/m 2 (TTR) is associated with dose-response survival benefits for all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality, respectively (all p < 0.05).
Why this rating
Large longitudinal cohort (n=3,708) with high-frequency measurements and external validation, though observational.
Source
Longitudinal body mass index exposure-based threshold to prevent mortality for populations with type 2 diabetes mellitus
Tingting Hu et al. · Cell Reports Medicine · 2026
DOI 10.1016/j.xcrm.2025.102566
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