Statin use is associated with weight gain and a large increase in diabetes

This study was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association International Medicine 2014 Apr 24

 

Study title and authors:

Different Time Trends of Caloric and Fat Intake Between Statin Users and Nonusers Among US Adults: Gluttony in the Time of Statins?

Sugiyama T, Tsugawa Y, Tseng CH, Kobayashi Y, Shapiro MF.

Division of General Internal Medicine and Health Services Research, David Geffen School of Medicine at University of California, Los Angeles2Department of Public Health/Health Policy, Graduate School of Medicine, the University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan3Depa.

 

This study can be accessed at: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24763487

This study examined the effects of statins on caloric intake, weight gain and diabetes. The study lasted eleven years and included 27,886 adults, 20 years or older, who completed a 24-hour dietary recall.

The study found over an 11 year period:

(a) The caloric intake of statin users increased by 9.6%.

(b) The caloric intake of non users DECREASED by 1.9%.

(c) The BMI of statin user increased by 1.3

(d) The BMI of non users increased by 0.5

(e) Diabetes increased by 7.8% in statin users.

(f) Diabetes DECREASED by 0.4% in non users.

This study shows statin use is associated with weight gain and a large increase in diabetes.