Population-Based Study of Diabetes and Risk Characteristics in Turkey

Abstract

OBJECTIVES -To investigate for the first time the prevalence of diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) nationwide in Turkey; to assess regional variations and relationships between glucose intolerance and lifestyle and physical risk factors. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS -The Turkish Diabetes Epidemiology Study(TURDEP) is a cross-sectional, population-based survey that included 24,788 subjects (age Ն20 years, women 55%, response 85%). Glucose tolerance was classified according to World Health Organization recommendations on the basis of 2-h blood glucose values.RESULTS -Crude prevalence of diabetes was 7.2% (previously undiagnosed, 2.3%) and of IGT, 6.7% (age-standardized to world and European populations, 7.9 and 7.0%). Both were more frequent in women than men (P Ͻ 0.0001) and in those living in urban rather than rural communities (P Ͻ 0.001). Prevalence rates of hypertension and obesity were 29 and 22%, respectively. Both were more common among women than men (P Ͻ 0.0001). Prevalence of diabetes and IGT increased with rising BMI, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist girth (P Ͻ 0.0001). Multiple logistic regression analysis revealed that age, BMI, WHR, familial diabetes, and hypertension were independently associated with diabetes, age, BMI, WHR, familial diabetes, and hypertension with IGT (except for familial diabetes in women with IGT). Education was related to diabetes in men but was protective for diabetes and IGT in women. Socioeconomic status appeared to decrease the risk of IGT in men while it increased the risk in women. Smoking had a protective effect for IGT in both sexes.CONCLUSIONS -Diabetes and IGT are moderately common in Turkey by international standards. Associations with obesity and hypertension have been confirmed. Other lifestyle factors had a variable relationship with glucose tolerance.

Prevalence of the metabolic syndrome among Turkish adults

“…In our study, abdominal obesity was 17.2% in men and 54.8% in women. Mean values of BMI for the Turkish population have been reported in several population-based investigations in Turkey (Onat et al, 1999a;Satman et al, 2002;Hatemi et al, 2003). In line with our results, these studies showed that BMI was significantly higher in women than in men.…”

“…In line with our results, these studies showed that BMI was significantly higher in women than in men. In addition, abdominal obesity is very common in Turkish women (Onat et al, 1999a;Satman et al, 2002;Hatemi et al, 2003). It appears that, in Turkey, obesity is an important problem in women than in men.…”

“…It appears that, in Turkey, obesity is an important problem in women than in men. In a recent survey in Turkey, 29% of Turkish women are obese and an additional 27% are overweight (Satman et al, 2002). Higher frequency of obesity can be explained by the lack of employment outside the home among Turkish women and limited physical activity (Satman et al, 2002).…”

“…Previous studies in Turks have shown a higher prevalence of low high-density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations than Western populations; therefore, Turks may be more susceptible to the MS (Mahley et al, 1995;Onat et al, 1999b). In addition, obesity is very common in Turkish women (Onat et al, 1999a;Satman et al, 2002;Hatemi et al, 2003). There are still only very crude estimates of the prevalence of MS in Turkey (Onat and Sansoy, 2002;Ozsahin et al, 2004).…”

Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in Croatia

“…The present results would be expected to be comparable to the 2000 estimate, as the survey was conducted in the period from 1995 to 97. It is possible that the study [17] used for the 2006 estimate was carried out in a population more similar to the Croatian one and using a more appropriate methodology.…”