Cardiometabolic & kidneyCohort study
Underweight and cardiovascular risk in Type 2 diabetes: a Korean nationwide study
- Retrospective cohort study
- nationwide
Authors' conclusion
Underweight status in T2DM patients is significantly associated with increased risk of CVDs, particularly in those severely underweight, exceeding the risks observed with obesity.
Study context
- Population
- Adults with T2DM undergoing health examinations 2015–2016, Korean National Health Insurance Service database
- Participants
- 2,064,406 adults
- Exposure
- Underweight categories vs normal weight
- Outcome
- CVD, including MI and ischaemic stroke
- Follow-up
- Mean 5.7 years
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
CVD
Each group vs normal weightAdjusted hazard ratio (95% CI)
Severe underweight
1.49(1.28–1.73)
Moderate underweight
1.47(1.33–1.63)
Mild underweight
1.19(1.13–1.25)
BMI ≥ 35 kg/m²
1.14(1.08–1.22)
- Cardiovascular disease (CVD) events
- 111 522
- MI events
- 55 622
- Ischaemic stroke events
- 62 099
Observational data: associations, not effects.
Further findings
CVD, stratified analyses
- Stronger associations in younger individuals and non-smokers
Original publication
Underweight and cardiovascular risk in Type 2 diabetes: a Korean nationwide study. Eur Heart J. Published 25 November 2025. doi:10.1093/eurheartj/ehaf903
Summarised from the published abstract; every number is checked against it