GENDER AND AGE SPECIFIC PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS OF TYPE 2 DIABETES MELLITUS IN UYO METROPOLIS, SOUTH EASTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

SUMMARY The purpose of this work was to determine the age and sex specific prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in South Eastern Nigeria, which hitherto has not been documented. The study population consisted of 3500 civil servants, 1532 (43.8%) male and 1968 (56.2%) female, age range 18-60 years. They were randomly selected and studied between October 2008 and November 2010. The survey instruments used were structured questionnaire, anthropometric and blood sugar measures. Chi-square test and t-test were used to compare differences in risk factors for both sexes, while logistic regression analysis was used to test the relationship between associated factors. The overall prevalence of T2DM was 10.5%, with 9.7% and 0.8% representing diagnosed and undiagnosed cases, respectively. The male and female prevalence was 9.6% and 11.2%, respectively. The age and sex specific prevalence was 2.74%, 8.50%, 16.54% and 23.70% in males aged 18-25, 26-35, 36-45 and 46-60 years, respectively. In females of the same age groups, the prevalence was 3.95%, 9.70%, 13.01% and 29.39%, respectively. Age, poor dietary habits, high adiposity indices, physical inactivity, positive family history and educational status were significantly associated with T2DM in both sexes (P<0.05). Smoking status was only significant in males, while alcohol consumption was nonsignificant in both sexes (P<0.05). This study recorded a high prevalence of T2DM with a relatively small proportion of undiagnosed cases.