Objective: We investigated whether weight loss episodes were associated with the metabolic syndrome and diabetes in elderly men.
Design and subjects: Men residing in Oslo and born in 1923–32 (n = 16,209) were screened for cardiovascular diseases and risk factors in 1972–73. Those who resided in the same area in the year 2000 were invited to a repeat physical and laboratory examination, attended by 6 410 men (mean age 72.5 years). Weight, height and blood pressure were measured both times, and a non-fasting measurements of total serum cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose were obtained. Weight loss, leisure time physical activity, smoking habits, and educational attendance were self-reported.
Results: The proportion that reported one or more episodes of weight loss at age 25–50 years was 15.6% (n = 3,564 respondents) while 26.8% reported weight loss after age 50 (n = 3,473 respondents). Age-specific weight loss scores based on the number of the episodes of weight loss or on the total amount of weight loss were strongly associated with the presence of obesity, the metabolic syndrome and diabetes in the year 2000. The risk of the metabolic syndrome and diabetes in 2000 increased with increasing number of weight loss episodes also adjusted for BMI in 1972–73 and other potential confounders. The odds ratio for the metabolic syndrome for one standard deviation change in the number of weight loss episodes after age 50 was 1.43 (95% confidence limits 1.30–1.57). The corresponding odds ratio for diabetes was 1.25 (95% confidence limits 1.14–1.37). Similar results were found using a score for the total amount of weight loss.
Conclusion: Among elderly men the number of episodes or amount of weight loss after age 50 was associated with the metabolic syndrome and diabetes, but this study cannot establish the causality of the association.
