Cited by 221Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risks, and LipoproteinsCardiovascular Health and Risk FactorsNutritional Studies and Diet

Influence of lifestyle on incident cardiovascular disease and mortality in patients with diabetes mellitus

Open access
Liu, Gang, Li, Yanping, Hu, Yang, Zong, Geng, Li, Shanshan, Rimm, Eric B., Hu, Frank B., Manson, JoAnn E. +3 more·2018·Journal of the American College of Cardiology

Abstract

BACKGROUD Evidence is limited regarding the impact of healthy lifestyle practices on the risk of subsequent cardiovascular events among patients with diabetes. OBJECTIVES To examine the associations of an overall healthy lifestyle, defined by eating a high-quality diet (top two fifths of Alternative Healthy Eating Index), non-smoking, engaging in moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity (≥150 min/week), and drinking alcohol in moderation (5–15 g/day for women and 5–30 g/day for men), with the risk of developing cardiovascular disease (CVD) and CVD mortality among adults with type 2 diabetes (T2D). METHODS This prospective analysis included 11,527 participants with T2D diagnosed during follow-up (8,970 women from the Nurses’ Health Study and 2,557 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study), who were free of CVD and cancer at the time of diabetes diagnosis. Diet and lifestyle factors before and after T2D diagnosis were repeatedly assessed every 2–4 years. RESULTS There were 2,311 incident CVD cases and 858 CVD deaths during an average of 13.3 years of follow-up. After multivariate adjustment of covariates, the low-risk lifestyle factors after diabetes diagnosis were each associated with a lower risk of CVD incidence and CVD mortality. The multivariate-adjusted hazard ratios (95% confidence intervals [CIs]) for participants with three or more low-risk lifestyle factors compared with zero was 0.48 (0.40–0.59) for total CVD incidence, 0.53 (0.42–0.66) for CHD incidence, 0.33 (0.21–0.51) for stroke incidence, and 0.32 (0.22–0.47) for CVD mortality (all P trend<0.001). The population-attributable-risk for poor adherence to the overall healthy lifestyle (<3 low-risk factors) was 40.9% (95% CI, 28.5%–52.0%) for CVD mortality. In addition, greater improvements in healthy lifestyle factors from pre- to post-diabetes diagnosis were also significantly associated with a lower risk of CVD incidence and CVD mortality. For each number increment in low-risk lifestyle factors, there were a 14% lower risk of incident total CVD, a 12% lower risk of CHD, a 21% lower risk of stroke, and a 27% lower risk of CVD mortality (all P <0.001). Similar results were observed when analyses were stratified by diabetes duration, sex/cohort, body mass index at diabetes diagnosis, smoking status, and lifestyle factors before diabetes diagnosis. CONCLUSIONS Greater adherence to an overall healthy lifestyle is associated with a substantially lower risk of CVD incidence and CVD mortality among adults with T2D. These findings further support the tremendous benefits of adopting a healthy lifestyle in reducing the subsequent burden of cardiovascular complications in patients with T2D.

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Written from the paper’s full text.

TL;DR

In two large U.S. prospective cohorts of adults with incident type 2 diabetes, greater adherence to an overall healthy lifestyle after diagnosis was associated with substantially lower risk of incident cardiovascular disease and cardiovascular mortality. Improvements in lifestyle from before to after diabetes diagnosis were also associated with lower subsequent CVD risk.

Key findings

  • Among 11,527 participants with incident T2D, 2,311 incident CVD cases and 858 CVD deaths occurred over an average 13.3 years of follow-up.
  • Comparing ≥3 versus 0 low-risk lifestyle factors after diabetes diagnosis, multivariate-adjusted HRs (95% CIs) were 0.48 (0.40–0.59) for total CVD incidence, 0.53 (0.42–0.66) for CHD incidence, 0.33 (0.21–0.51) for stroke incidence, and 0.32 (0.22–0.47) for CVD mortality (all P trend <0.001).
  • The population-attributable-risk for poor adherence to the overall healthy lifestyle (<3 low-risk factors) was 40.9% (95% CI, 28.5%–52.0%) for CVD mortality.
  • Each increment in low-risk lifestyle factors was associated with 14% lower risk of total CVD, 12% lower CHD, 21% lower stroke, and 27% lower CVD mortality (all P<0.001); improvements from pre- to post-diabetes diagnosis were also associated with lower CVD incidence and mortality.

Methods

  • Prospective analysis pooled 8,970 women from the Nurses’ Health Study and 2,557 men from the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study with incident T2D diagnosed during follow-up, free of CVD and cancer at diabetes diagnosis.
  • Diet and lifestyle factors were repeatedly assessed every 2–4 years; low-risk factors were high-quality diet (top two fifths of AHEI), non-smoking, moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity ≥150 min/week, and moderate alcohol intake (5–15 g/day women; 5–30 g/day men).
  • Cox proportional hazards models with time-varying exposures and covariates estimated HRs and 95% CIs for total CVD, CHD, stroke incidence, and CVD mortality; analyses also modeled changes in lifestyle score from pre- to post-diabetes diagnosis and calculated PAR.

Limitations

  • The paper states participants were all health professionals and mostly Caucasian, limiting generalizability; diabetes diagnoses spanned an extended period since the 1980s; self-reported diet/lifestyle had inevitable measurement error; there were no direct measurements of glycemic control or diabetes severity; PAR assumed causality; and residual confounding or chance could not be excluded.
  • The paper also notes the low-risk lifestyle factors considered may not represent all healthy behaviors.
  • Evident from the text: this is an observational cohort study, so the reported associations cannot establish causality, and the authors explicitly caution that the PAR calculation depends on a causal assumption.

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Integrity signals

Registry

Crossref · 10.1016/j.jacc.2018.04.027

Cites

47 of 47 references verified0 citation errors · 0 not checkable

Statistics

Nothing to recompute.

Claims the paper makes

0 of 14 cited sources checked · 0 supported · 0 flagged

  • Findingown data

    Comparing participants with three or more low-risk lifestyle factors to those with zero, the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio for coronary heart disease incidence was 0.53 (95% CI 0.42-0.66).

    “Comparing participants with zero low-risk lifestyle factor, the participants with three or more low-risk lifestyle factors had HRs (95% CIs) of 0.48 (0.40–0.59) for total CVD incidence, 0.53 (0.42–0.66) for CHD incidence, and 0.33 (0.21–0.51) for stroke incidence (all P trend<0.001).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    Comparing participants with three or more low-risk lifestyle factors to those with zero, the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio for stroke incidence was 0.33 (95% CI 0.21-0.51).

    “Comparing participants with zero low-risk lifestyle factor, the participants with three or more low-risk lifestyle factors had HRs (95% CIs) of 0.48 (0.40–0.59) for total CVD incidence, 0.53 (0.42–0.66) for CHD incidence, and 0.33 (0.21–0.51) for stroke incidence (all P trend<0.001).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    Comparing participants with three or more low-risk lifestyle factors to those with zero, the multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio for total cardiovascular disease incidence was 0.48 (95% CI 0.40-0.59).

    “Comparing participants with zero low-risk lifestyle factor, the participants with three or more low-risk lifestyle factors had HRs (95% CIs) of 0.48 (0.40–0.59) for total CVD incidence, 0.53 (0.42–0.66) for CHD incidence, and 0.33 (0.21–0.51) for stroke incidence (all P trend<0.001).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    Comparing participants who adhered to three or more low-risk lifestyle factors with those who adhered to none, the hazard ratio for cardiovascular disease mortality was 0.32 (95% CI 0.22-0.47).

    “Comparing participants who adhered to ≥3 low-risk lifestyle factors with those who adhered to none, the HR (95% CI) was 0.32 (0.22–0.47) for CVD mortality (P trend<0.001).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Findingown data

    Among adults with type 2 diabetes, greater adherence to an overall healthy lifestyle after diabetes diagnosis is associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular disease incidence and cardiovascular disease mortality.

    “Greater adherence to an overall healthy lifestyle is associated with a substantially lower risk of CVD incidence and CVD mortality among adults with T2D.”
    • Also stated in: § Discussion · plain
      “we found that an overall healthy lifestyle after diabetes diagnosis, defined as eating a high quality diet, non-smoking, engaging in moderate- to vigorous-intensity physical activity, and drinking alcohol in moderation, was significantly associated with a lower risk of CVD incidence and CVD mortality.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims. 9
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim. 7
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    The results remained similar when further adjusted for duration of diabetes, use of insulin and hypoglycemic medications, and self-reported HbA1c levels, suggesting that the findings are unlikely explained by confounding due to severity of diabetes.

    “However, the results remained similar when we further adjusted for duration of diabetes, use of insulin and hypoglycemic medications, and self-reported HbA1c levels, suggesting that our findings are unlikely explained by confounding due to the severity of diabetes.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Findingown data

    The results remained similar when analyses were stratified before/after 1998, when complete data were used, or when deaths that occurred within 4 years of diabetes diagnosis were excluded.

    “The results remained similar when analyses were stratified before/after 1998, when complete data were used, or when deaths occurred within 4 years of diabetes diagnosis were excluded.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductnone given

    The follow-up rate for death in the Nurses' Health Study and Health Professionals Follow-Up Study was over 98%.

    “The follow-up rate for death in the NHS and HPFS was over 98%.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Prospective observational studies among diabetic patients have largely focused on associations between healthy lifestyle practices and total mortality, but data specific for cardiovascular disease risk are lacking.

    “Prospective observational studies among diabetic patients thus far largely focused on associations between healthy lifestyle practices and total mortality (13–15), but data specific for CVD risk are lacking.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 3 sources checked
    • cites [13] Lin, 2012, Impact of lifestyle-related factors on all-cause and cause-specific mortality in patients with type 2 diabetes: the Taichung Diabetes Study, Diabetes Care source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [14] Patel, 2018, Adherence to healthy lifestyle factors and risk of death in men with diabetes mellitus: The Physicians' Health Study, Clin Nutr source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [15] Nöthlings, 2010, Lifestyle factors and mortality among adults with diabetes: findings from the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition–Potsdam study, J Diabetes

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductcitation

    In validation studies, 98% (61/62 cases) of diabetes cases confirmed by the supplementary questionnaire were re-confirmed by medical record review in the Nurses' Health Study, and 97% (57/59 cases) were re-confirmed in the Health Professionals Follow-Up Study.

    “In our validation studies, 98% (61/62 cases) of diabetes cases confirmed by the supplementary questionnaire were re-confirmed by medical record review in the NHS, and 97% (57/59 cases) were re-confirmed in the HPFS (28,29).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 2 sources checked
    • cites [28] Hu, 2001, Physical activity and television watching in relation to risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus in men, Arch Intern Med source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [29] Manson, 1991, Physical activity and incidence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in women, Lancet source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductnone given

    The diabetic patients in the study were diagnosed during an extended period of time since the 1980s.

    “Second, the diabetic patients in our study were diagnosed during an extended period of time since 1980s.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Several trials of multi-component lifestyle interventions demonstrated benefits on reducing type 2 diabetes risk and improving cardiovascular health among high-risk individuals, although long-term benefits on reducing cardiovascular disease events among diabetic patients were less established.

    “Several trials that examined the efficacy of multi-component lifestyle interventions have demonstrated tremendous benefits on reducing T2D risk and improving cardiovascular health among high-risk individuals (7–12), although the long-term benefits on reducing CVD events among diabetic patients were less established (6).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 7 sources checked
    • cites [7] Knowler, 2009, 10-year follow-up of diabetes incidence and weight loss in the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study, Lancet source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [8] Lindstrom, 2006, Sustained reduction in the incidence of type 2 diabetes by lifestyle intervention: follow-up of the Finnish Diabetes Prevention Study, Lancet source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [9] Li, 2008, The long-term effect of lifestyle interventions to prevent diabetes in the China Da Qing Diabetes Prevention Study: a 20-year follow-up study, Lancet source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [10] Li, 2014, Cardiovascular mortality, all-cause mortality, and diabetes incidence after lifestyle intervention for people with impaired glucose tolerance in the Da Qing Diabetes Prevention Study: a 23-year follow-up study, Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [11] Estruch, 2013, Primary prevention of cardiovascular disease with a Mediterranean diet, N Engl J Med source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [12] 2015, Long-term effects of lifestyle intervention or metformin on diabetes development and microvascular complications over 15-year follow-up: the Diabetes Prevention Program Outcomes Study, Lancet Diabetes Endocrinol source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • cites [6] Schellenberg, 2013, Lifestyle interventions for patients with and at risk for type 2 diabetes: a systematic review and meta-analysis, Ann Intern Med source

      Not checked in the free run.

  • May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductreasoning

    Measurement errors in self-reported assessments of dietary and lifestyle factors were likely non-differential in this prospective study and would be more likely to bias the associations toward the null.

    “In addition, such measurement errors were likely to be non-differential in this prospective study and thus would be more likely to bias the associations toward the null.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductnone given

    The study could not exclude the role of confounding by genetic susceptibility, medication use, or psychosocial stress, residual confounding due to measurement errors of covariates, or chance.

    “In particular, we could not exclude the role of confounding by genetic susceptibility, medication use, or psychosocial stress, residual confounding due to measurement errors of covariates, or chance in the current study.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductnone given

    The cumulative response rate was over 90% for both cohorts.

    “The cumulative response rate was over 90% for both cohorts.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Study design and conductown data

    Participants from the two cohorts were pooled in the absence of heterogeneity of results to increase statistical power.

    “To increase statistical power, we pooled the participants from the two cohorts in the absence of heterogeneity of results.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Interpretationnone given

    The risk profile of diabetic patients might significantly change over time due to better control of blood lipids and other risk factors in recent years.

    “The risk profile of diabetic patients might significantly change over time due to better control of blood lipids and other risk factors in recent years, although similar results were found in analyses stratified before/after 1998.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Premisecitation

    Body mass index may no longer serve as a valid measure of adiposity after diabetes diagnosis, so it was not included in the lifestyle score to minimize reverse causation bias.

    “Given that weight change is one of the typical symptoms of diabetes, and treatment could result in weight change after diagnosis as well, BMI may no longer serve as a valid measure of adiposity and thus was not included in the lifestyle score to minimize reverse causation bias (21).”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim0 of 1 sources checked
    • cites [21] Tobias, 2014, Body-mass index and mortality among adults with incident type 2 diabetes, N Engl J Med source

      Not checked in the free run.

    • Rests on an assumption: Weight change is a typical symptom of diabetes, and treatment can result in weight change after diagnosis.
  • Probably not a substantial claim: may not pass S3 (load-bearing).

    Study design and conductnone given

    The low-risk lifestyle factors considered in the analysis may not necessarily represent all healthy behaviors.

    “Lastly, the low-risk lifestyle factors considered in the current analysis may not necessarily represent all healthy behaviors.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • May combine two claims.

    Study design and conductnone given

    The study participants were all health professionals, and most were Caucasians.

    “First, the study participants were all health professionals, and most were Caucasians.”
    Quote in the paperNot a substantial claim
  • Classified as probably not a substantial claim.

    Study design and conductnone given

    Physicians blinded to the participant questionnaire data reviewed all medical records.

    “Physicians blinded to the participant questionnaire data reviewed all medical records.”
    Quote in the paperSubstantial claim
16 of 16
  • The authors state this as an assumption.

    The population-attributable risk calculation assumes a causal relationship between the low-risk lifestyle factors and cardiovascular disease risk.

    “Fifth, the PAR calculation was based on the assumption of a causal relationship between the low-risk lifestyle factors and CVD risk, which may not hold true in observational studies.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Little is known regarding whether improvements in lifestyle from pre- to post-diabetes diagnosis may yield cardiovascular benefits.

    “Importantly, little is known regarding whether improvements in lifestyle from pre- to post-diabetes diagnosis may yield cardiovascular benefits.”
  • The paper relies on this without support.

    Weight change is a typical symptom of diabetes, and treatment can result in weight change after diagnosis.

    “Given that weight change is one of the typical symptoms of diabetes, and treatment could result in weight change after diagnosis as well, BMI may no longer serve as a valid measure of adiposity and thus was not included in the lifestyle score to minimize reverse causation bias (21).”
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Authors
Liu, G., Li, Y., Hu, Y., Zong, G., Li, S., Rimm, E. B., Hu, F. B., Manson, J. E., Rexrode, K. M., Shin, H. J., & Sun, Q.
Affiliations
  • Harvard University (US)
  • Chinese Academy of Sciences (CN)
  • Boston University (US)
  • Brigham and Women's Hospital (US)
Corresponding author
Sun, Qi
Venue
Journal of the American College of Cardiology
Publisher
Elsevier BV
Published
2018-06
Volume
71
Issue
25
Pages
2867-2876
ISSN
0735-1097 (ISSN-L)
OpenAlex
W2807965683
Cited by
221
References
47
Citations by year
2026: 18 · 2025: 33 · 2024: 35 · 2023: 30 · 2022: 33 · 2021: 26 · 2020: 19 · 2019: 22 · 2018: 5
FWCI
14.31
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Locations
  • Journal of the American College of Cardiology (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (R01HL035464, R01HL034594, R01HL088521)
  • National Cancer Institute (UM1CA176726, UM1CA186107, UM1CA167552, U01CA176726, U01CA167552)
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R01DK058845, R01DK082486)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risks, and Lipoproteins
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiovascular Health and Risk Factors
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health › Nutritional Studies and Diet
Keywords
healthy lifestyle, type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease incidence, cardiovascular mortality, Alternative Healthy Eating Index, diet quality, physical activity, alcohol consumption, smoking, coronary artery disease, stroke, prediabetes, lifestyle adherence, population attributable risk, Nurses' Health Study, Health Professionals Follow-up Study, cardiovascular risk reduction
MeSH terms
Aged, Cardiovascular Diseases, Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2, Female, Humans, Life Style, Male, Middle Aged, Prospective Studies, United States, Incidence

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