Introduction: Weight gain and weight fluctuation have been shown to increase risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). Little is known about the implications of repeated weight cycling and risk for T2DM in athletes. This study aimed to look at the link between weight gain through weight cycling in healthy, athletic individuals and measures of fasting plasma glucose (FPG) as a precursor to T2DM. Methods: Fifty-eight male college students volunteered to participate. Participants included 28 members of a collegiate wrestling team (W) and a comparison group (C) of 30 non-weight-cycling males. A glucometer was used to test FPG levels in- and post-season for the W group and once for the C group. Body mass measures were recorded. T-tests were used to evaluate between- and within-group differences in FPG and body mass. Results: In-season FPG of the W group (80.6 ± 7.8 mg/dL) was not significantly different than post-season values (82.4 ± 6.2 mg/dL, p = 0.084). Both values were significantly different (p <0.05) than FPG values of the C group (76.5 ± 6.7mg/dL). Paired sample t-tests indicated a significant difference (p < 0.05) in body mass of the W group from in- season (75.8 ± 14.7 kg) to post-season (78.9 ± 14.3 kg). Body mass of the C group (81.5 ± 13.5 kg) was higher than in-season values (p = .018) but not different than post-season values of the W group. Discussion: While between-group differences in FPG were noted, neither group exhibited FPG values suggesting pre-diabetes. However, higher FPG values exhibited by the wrestlers suggest that weight cycling cannot be ruled out as a contributor to increased FPG values. Conclusion: Future research should look at habitual weight-cycling in athletes to determine whether long-term effects on FPG eventually leads to a diagnosis of pre-diabetes or diabetes.
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