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(Ivanhoe Newswire) -- Young adults who tipped the scales at less than 1,500 grams at birth may be at increased risk for type 2 diabetes and high blood pressure.
These findings come from a new study comparing 163 people between the ages of 18 and 27 who were born prematurely with very low birth weights to 169 similar people who were born full term and of normal weight.
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All of the participants underwent standard tests to measure blood sugar and insulin resistance, and they also had their blood pressure taken. Across the board, people who were born at very low birth weights scored worse on the tests than those who were born at full term. The finding was not influenced by the adult weight of the participants.
"We conclude that very low birth weight is associated with signs of impaired glucose regulation in young adult life," write the authors, noting these factors could place these young people at increased risk for disorders like type 2 diabetes and heart disease as they get older. "Lifestyle interventions are effective in preventing these disorders, and the identification of persons at increased risk early in life provides an important opportunity for disease prevention."
The authors believe theirs is one of the first studies to gauge the impact of very low birth weight on risk factors for type 2 diabetes and heart disease later in life.
This article was reported by Ivanhoe.com, which offers Medical Alerts by e-mail every day of the week. To subscribe, click on: http://www.ivanhoe.com/newsalert/.
SOURCE: The New England Journal of Medicine, 2007;356:2053-2063
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