The aim of this study was to determine the effects of hip circumference (HC) and height on diabetes incidence in non-diabetic first-degree relatives (FDRs) of patients with type 2 diabetes. A total of 1,092 (254 men and 838 women) non-diabetics FDRs ≥ 30 years old in 2003-2005 were followed through 2010 for the occurrence of type 2 diabetes. At baseline and through follow-ups, participants were underwent a standard 75 g 2-h oral glucose tolerance test. The incidence of type 2 diabetes was 17.0 (95% CI: 13.7, 20.2) (13.0 men and 18.1 women) per 1,000 person-year based on 6,015 person-years of follow-up. Height was inversely associated with diabetes incidence. The age-, gender-, and waist-adjusted relative risk (95% CI) of diabetes was 0.54 (0.31, 0.93) for highest quartile of height and 0.59 (0.25, 1.37) for highest quartile of HC compared with lowest quartile. These data indicate that height was inversely associated with diabetes incidence, independently of gender among FDRs of patients with type 2 diabetes.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus , First-degree relatives, Hip circumference, Waist circumference, Height,  Risk factors