Prevalence of Diabetes and Prediabetes in Adults from a Third-Tier City in Eastern China: A Cross-Sectional Study

INTRODUCTION: The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of adult diabetes and prediabetes in Bengbu (eastern China) in 2017, and to identify measures that can be taken to reduce the prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes in this region. METHODS: A stratified cluster random sampling method was used in the study. Two sampling sites were randomly selected from each of the four districts of Bengbu City, and all permanent residents (resident for ≥ 5 years) at all eight sampling sites aged 18 years or above were cluster sampled, which led to the sampling of 3388 adults. After screening, a total of 3144 respondents were enrolled in the study. The t test was utilized to compare the mean parameter values of the males and the females, and variance analysis was employed to compare the mean values of the nondiabetic, prediabetic, and diabetic groups. The chi-squared test was used to compare rates. Logistic regression was used for multivariate analysis, and the statistical significance level α was set to 0.05. RESULTS: The mean ages of the male and female groups were 51.1 ± 15.7 and 49.4 ± 15.1 years, respectively (p < 0.05). The diabetes prevalence in adults was 11.5% (8.4% after standardization), while the prevalence of prediabetes in adults was 32.0% (27.6% after standardization). The prevalence of diabetes and that of prediabetes gradually increased with age (both p < 0.05). Older age, hypertension, overweight status, obesity, central obesity, current smoker status, low serum high-density lipoprotein level, and high serum low-density lipoprotein level were all significantly associated with a higher risk of diabetes (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The prevalence of diabetes and that of prediabetes in adults in Bengbu City remain high. Intervention aimed at reducing the occurrence of diabetic complications and preventing prediabetes from further development is urgently required.