Hormonal
Higher body mass index (BMI) is linearly associated with an increased risk of incident type 2 diabetes, with the magnitude of this risk being significantly stronger in younger adults (ages 20-40) compared to older adults.
If you are under 40, your body is extremely sensitive to weight gain. Every kilogram you gain now carries a much higher risk of triggering diabetes than it would if you gained that same weight at age 60. Prioritize weight stability and metabolic health in your 20s and 30s, as the protective effect of youth is easily overridden by adiposity.
The risk of incident diabetes increased proportionally with increasing baseline BMI values, with a 23% increased risk of incident diabetes with each kg/m2 increase in BMI... there was a stronger association between BMI and incident diabetes in the younger age groups (age×BMI interaction, p<0.0001).
Why this rating
Large retrospective cohort (n=211,833) with standardized measurements, though observational design limits causal inference.
Source
Association of body mass index and age with incident diabetes in Chinese adults: a population-based cohort study
Ying Chen et al. · BMJ Open · 2018
DOI 10.1136/bmjopen-2018-021768
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