A study on the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in coastal Karnataka

AIM: To estimate the prevalence and study the socio-demographic correlates of type 2 diabetes among adults aged 30 years and above. SETTING AND DESIGN: A cross-sectional community-based survey, among individuals of either sex, aged 30 years and above was carried out in the field practice area of a medical college. METHODS AND MATERIALS: The study was carried out on 1,239 respondents, using a two-stage, stratified, random sampling technique. Data was collected by a personal, face-to-face interview followed by blood sugar estimation using a glucometer. STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Was performed by using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 11.5. RESULTS: The overall prevalence of diabetes was 16%. Self-reported diabetes was 11.2%, while 4.8% of previously normal people were found to have high fasting capillary blood glucose levels. Increasing age showed two-fold, four-fold, and six-fold higher odds for 40 – 49, 50 – 59, and ≥ 60 years age group, respectively, as compared to the 30 - 39 year age group (P < 0.001). Nineteen percent of the males had diabetes, (OR = 1.38, 95% CI = 1.01 – 1.88). In the high socioeconomic strata, 32% of the subjects had diabetes (P = 0.018 unadjusted odds ratio 3.29, 95% CI = 1.40 – 7.74). CONCLUSION: The high prevalence of diabetes in this coastal population needs further evaluation.