This article aims to examine the effect of mobility limitation and obesity on the risk of new incidence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and mortality. The design was a cohort study (n = 1075) among adults aged 60 years and older. Obesity was defined as body-mass index greater than or equal to 28 kg/m2. Mobility limitation was defined as participants scoring in the top 20% on the timed up and go test or in the slowest 20% for the 4-m walking test. The mean age of the study population was 67.4 ± 5.4 years (age range: 60-86 years), and 57.4% were women. Overall, 5.1% of women and 1.9% of men had both obesity and mobility limitations. During 3-year follow-up, the new incidence of T2DM was 2.98% and the adjusted risk of the new incidence of T2DM was progressively greater in obese subjects without mobility limitation, but not greater in the single mobility limitation subjects. The combination of mobility limitation and obesity (odds ratio = 10.3, 95% confidence interval = 2.25-70.13) has a significantly higher risk than obesity only or mobility limitation only. What is more, obesity with mobility limitation could be an independent predictor of 3-year mortality compared with the other subjects. We demonstrated the associations between obesity and mobility limitation and thus the increased risk of developing, with the combination over time, T2DM and mortality.
Keywords: T2DM; mobility limitation; obesity.