Body mass index and adiposity indicators associated with cardiovascular biomarkers in youth with type 1 diabetes followed prospectively.

BACKGROUND: The impact of excess weight on cardiovascular disease risk in type 1 diabetes patients is unclear.

OBJECTIVE: This study examined associations of BMI and body composition with cardiovascular risk factors in youth followed prospectively for 18 months.

METHODS: The sample includes youth with type 1 diabetes (N = 136, baseline age = 12.3 ± 2.5y, glycated hemoglobin = 8.1 ± 1.1%) participating in an 18-month behavioral nutrition intervention trial. BMI, body composition (by dual energy x-ray absorptiometry), total cholesterol (TC), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C); triglycerides (TG), c-reactive protein (CRP), 8-iso-prostaglandin-F2alpha (8-iso-PGF2α), adiponectin and systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP and DBP, respectively) were assessed at clinic visits every 6 months. Random effects regression models for repeated measures estimated associations of time-varying BMI and body composition with time-varying cardiovascular risk factors, adjusted for treatment assignment and covariates.

RESULTS: There was no intervention effect on cardiovascular risk factors. Percent body fat was positively associated with TG, LDL-C, CRP, SBP and DBP, while trunk fat mass and trunk %fat were associated positively with TG, LDL-C, CRP, SBP and DBP, and inversely with HDL-C. Higher BMI was associated with greater TG, CRP, SBP and DBP and lower HDL-C. BMI and body composition indicators were unrelated to 8-iso-PGF2α and adiponectin.

CONCLUSIONS: Excess adiposity is associated with increased cardiovascular risk factors in this sample of youth with type 1 diabetes. Non-significant associations with adiponectin and 8-iso-PGF2α suggest potential differences from the general population in the role of adiposity in cardiovascular health.