RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: Differences in the blood, resulting from the presence or absence of antigens corresponding to specific blood types, have indirect implications for susceptibility to diseases. The aim of this study was to examine the association between the ABO type and obesity in patients with diabetes mellitus. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional observational study that was conducted at King Abdulaziz University Hospital (KAUH) in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using a simple random method through hospital records during the period between August and September 2022. Patients with type 1 diabetes mellitus (T1DM) and T2DM were included in this study. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to identify the association between blood group and obesity. RESULTS: A total of 411 patients were involved in this study. More than half of the patients (54.3%; n= 223) are diagnosed with T1DM. O-positive was the most common blood group type among the patients, accounting for 38.6% (n= 161). Only 23.6% (n= 97) of the patients were classified as having normal weight. Around 32.6% (n= 134) of the patients were classified as having the pre-obesity stage. More than one-third of the patients (35.1%; n= 145) were classified as being obese. There was no statistically significant difference between the patients in terms of their blood type group and its association with obesity (p>0.05). CONCLUSION: Many diabetics are overweight or obese, according to this study. This shows the importance of weight management for diabetes treatment. Many patients were overweight, emphasizing the importance of obesity prevention and diabetes care. Most patients were O-positive, according to blood type tests. Previous research suggests that blood types may be linked to diabetes. However, this study found no significant relationships. More research is needed to understand the complex link between blood types, weight, and diabetes.
