Compared with women who maintained or gained weight , women who lost > 2kg experienced significantly lower increases in fasting glucose [ age-adjusted means : 0.1 mmol/l ( 95 % CI -0.03 to 0.3 ) vs. 0.4 mmol/l ( 95 % CI 0.3-0 .6 ) ; P < 0.01 ] and 2-h insulin [ 10.0 pmol/l ( 95 % CI -56.9 to 76.9 ) vs. 181.2 pmol/l ( 95 % CI 108.3-506 .9 ) ; P < 0.01 ] and a significant reduction in 2-h glucose [ -0.9 mmol/l ( 95 % CI -1.4 to -0.3 ) vs. 0.3 mmol/l ( 95 % CI -0.3 to 0.9 ) ; P < 0.01 ] .