The effect of physical activity, body mass index and waist circumference on incident diabetes

We read with interest the article by Edwards et al. [1] which evaluated the effect of physical activity, body mass index (BMI) and the normal range glycated hemoglobin on the incident diabetes. The questionnaire used in the study should have been highlighted with regard to its validation. It was also not mentioned if the questions were asked in English or any other language. A proper reference has to be cited in order to label the case as incident diabetes while considering the value of A1_C or plasma glucose which was found to be missing.

The authors mention that ‘there was no three-way interaction effects of physical activity, BMI and waist circumference (WC) on incident diabetes’ which is not well understood and debatable fact. In the present study, the duration or intensity of physical activity could have been measured in detail. Diabetes is an oxidative stress disorder and physical activity certainly relieves any such oxidative stress.

Many factors such as diet, smoking or any other form of addiction, level of cholesterol and lipid profile, presence of hypertension should be ascertained in all the studied subjects. These may be confounding factors influencing the results. Interestingly, it is also important to have the lifestyle and history of the mental state of the individual which may predispose to incident diabetes. Genetic analysis of the subjects may prove to be more beneficial in order to estimate the incident diabetes.

Overall, an interesting article. We congratulate the authors and thank the editor for publishing such an important study.

Declaration of interest

The authors have no relevant affiliations or financial involvement with any organization or entity with a financial interest in or financial conflict with the subject matter or materials discussed in the manuscript. This includes employment, consultancies, honoraria, stock ownership or options, expert testimony, grants or patents received or pending, or royalties.

Additional information

Funding

None.