Associations Between Body Mass Index Trajectories and Healthcare Utilization and Costs Among Patients with Type 2 Diabetes in Finland

Purpose

We assessed how body mass index (BMI) trajectories were associated with healthcare utilization and costs in patients with type 2 diabetes (T2D). Patients and methods: In this retrospective cohort study, electronic health records from all public healthcare in North Karelia, Finland, were used. Patients newly diagnosed with T2D in 2011-2014 were included. The 10-year BMI trajectories since T2D diagnosis were estimated by growth mixture modeling. Time trends of healthcare utilization and costs from 2012 to 2024, and accumulated healthcare utilization over time within and between BMI trajectories were analyzed using age- and sex-adjusted regression models. Group differences in accumulated healthcare costs with 95% confidence intervals (Cls) were estimated using nonparametric bootstrapping.