Study characteristics.

Individuals born with low birth weight are at increased risk of type 2 diabetes, which potentially may be attributed to immature adipose tissue development and reduced levels of the insulin-sensitizing adipokine, adiponectin. This systematic review and meta-analysis synthesize data from 67 studies, comprising over 8000 individuals across various age groups, to examine the relationship between circulating adiponectin levels and birth weight. The results revealed that individuals with low birth weight have significantly lower adiponectin levels compared to those born with normal birth weight (SMD = −0.46 μg/ml [95% CI: −0.57; −0.35], P 2 = 67%, P