Gestational Diabetes
Is there a relationship between leg length and glucose tolerance?
- Robert G. Moses, MD and
- Maria T. Mackay, RN
- Address correspondence and reprint requests to Prof. R.G. Moses, P.O. Box W58, Wollongong West, NSW, 2500, Australia. E-mail: mosesr{at}iahs.nsw.gov.au
Abstract
OBJECTIVE—To assess the relationship between leg length and glucose tolerance in pregnancy.
RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—The leg length and leg-to-height percentage were prospectively determined on 161 glucose-tolerant women during pregnancy and 61 women with gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM).
RESULTS—Women with GDM were a mean of 2.8 cm shorter than women who were glucose tolerant, due entirely to their leg lengths being a mean of 3.2 cm shorter. With respect to the 2-h result on the glucose tolerance test (GTT), there were negative correlations for height (r = −0.161, P = 0.017), leg length (r = −0.266, P < 0.0005), and the leg-to-height percentage (r = −0.294, P < 0.0005). The correlation between the leg-to-height percentage and the 2-h result on the GTT remained significant after adjustment for age (r = −0.252, P < 0.0005) and for age and BMI (r = −0.224, P = 0.001).
CONCLUSIONS—Women with GDM are shorter than glucose-tolerant women and have a lower leg-to-height percentage. Consideration of short stature as a risk factor for GDM is not valid without taking into account the leg-to-height percentage.
Footnotes
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- Accepted February 3, 2004.
- Received December 14, 2003.
- DIABETES CARE
