Height and glucose tolerance in adult subjects

Abstract

In a prospective study concerning the pathogenesis of impaired glucose tolerance and Type 2 (non-insulindependent) diabetes mellitus, 346 subjects with no clinical history of diabetes were given a standard 75 g oral glucose tolerance test. The expected positive associations between 120-min plasma glucose concentration and age and body mass index were observed in both sexes and between 120-min plasma glucose and waist/hip ratio in male subjects. An unexpected negative correlation was found between 120-min plasma glucose and height in both sexes (r = − 0.23, (95% confidence interval, − 0.38− − 0.07) pr = − 0.24, (− 0.37− − 0.11) pr = − 0.33, (− 0.45− − 0.20) pn = 29) was 173.4 ± 1.1 cm vs 176.9 ± 1.3 cm in control subjects, p = 0.02. In the female subjects(n = 39)mean(±SEM)height was 159.4±1.0 cm vs 162.4±1.0 cm in control subjects, p = 0.02. The negative relationship between height and glucose tolerance is a new epidemiological observation which has not been previously reported. One possible reason for this is that the most commonly used anthropometric index, body mass index, eliminates height as an independent analytical variable.