Weight trends amongst adults with diabetes or hypertension during the COVID-19 pandemic: an observational study using OpenSAFELY
Authors: Samuel Miriam , Park Robin Y , Eastwood Sophie V , Eto Fabiola , Morton Caroline E , Stow Daniel , Bacon Sebastian , Goldacre Ben , Mehrkar Amir , Morley Jessica , Dillingham Iain , Inglesby Peter , Hulme William J , Khunti Kamlesh , Mathur Rohini , Valabhji Jonathan , MacKenna Brian , Finer Sarah ,   The OpenSAFELY Collaborative
Published: December 2023

Aims

To describe patterns of weight change amongst adults living in England with Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) and/or hypertension during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Design and Setting

With the approval of NHS England, we conducted an observational cohort study using the routinely collected health data of approximately 40% of adults living in England, accessed through the OpenSAFELY service inside TPP.

Method

We estimated individual rates of weight gain during the pandemic (δ). We then estimated associations between clinical and sociodemographic characteristics and rapid weight gain (>0.5kg/m2/year) using multivariable logistic regression.

Results

We extracted data on adults with T2D (n=1,231,455, 44% female, 76% white British) or hypertension (n=3,558,405, 50% female, 84% white British). Adults with T2D lost weight overall (median δ = -0.1kg/m2/year [IQR: -0.7, 0.4]), however, rapid weight gain was common (20.7%) and associated with sex (male vs female: aOR 0.78[95%CI 0.77, 0.79]); age, older age reduced odds (e.g. 60-69-year-olds vs 18-29-year-olds: aOR 0.66[0.61, 0.71]); deprivation, (least-deprived-IMD vs most-deprived-IMD: aOR 0.87[0.85, 0.89]); white ethnicity (Black vs White: aOR 0.70[0.69, 0.71]); mental health conditions (e.g. depression: aOR 1.13 [1.12, 1.15]); and diabetes treatment (non-insulin treatment vs no pharmacological treatment: aOR 0.68[0.67, 0.69]). Adults with hypertension maintained stable weight overall (median δ = 0.0kg/m2/year [-0.6, 0.5]), however, rapid weight gain was common (24.7%) and associated with similar characteristics as in T2D.

Conclusion

Amongst adults living in England with T2D and/or hypertension, rapid pandemic weight gain was more common amongst females, younger adults, those living in more deprived areas, and those with mental health conditions.

How this fits in

Previous studies, in the general population, have reported female sex, deprivation and comorbid mental health conditions increased risk of unhealthy weight gain during the pandemic, but it is not clear whether people living with hypertensions and/or type 2 diabetes experienced the same trends.

We found that, during the pandemic, adults with hypertension maintained a stable weight whilst those with type 2 diabetes lost weight overall. However, underlying these overall trends, rapid weight gain was common amongst people with type 2 diabetes (20.7%) or hypertension (24.7%)), with female sex, younger age, deprivation, and comorbid mental health conditions associated with an increased odds of rapid weight gain in both populations.

We have identified clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of individuals with hypertension and/or type 2 diabetes who could benefit from primary care interventions on weight and health behaviours to combat health inequalities in patterns of weight gain that were exacerbated by the pandemic.