Background/aim: Although weight loss in patients with type 2 diabetes is very important, available data on the effects of long-term weight change on blood pressure (BP), lipids and glycemic control in these patients are limited. The aim of this study was to assess the long-term impact of weight change on BP, plasma lipids and glycemic control among patients with type 2 diabetes receiving routine care.

Methods: During the mean [standard deviation (SD)] follow-up period of 9.2 (3.4; range 2-15) years, 7,712 patients with type 2 diabetes were examined to determine changes in weight, BP, plasma lipids and glycemic control using a linear mixed-effects model for repeated measures. The mean (SD) age of participants was 51.3 (10.5) years with a mean (SD) duration of diabetes of 6.3 (6.3) years at initial registration.

Results: The change in fasting plasma glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA(1c)) from baseline to the last follow-up examination was significantly more favorable in those patients who gained weight during follow-up than in those who lost weight or whose weight remained stable. Systolic and diastolic BP and lipids also rose more significantly in the group with weight gain.

Conclusions: Although this population of type 2 diabetes in Iran had negligible weight change over mean 9.2 years, this weight gain was associated with an increase in BP and plasma lipids, but also an improvement in glycemic control.

Keywords: Blood pressure; Diabetes mellitus type 2; Glycemic control; Lipids; Weight change