Prevalence and Management of Diabetes and Metabolic Risk Factors in Thai Adults

Abstract

OBJECTIVETo determine the prevalence of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and undiagnosed and diagnosed diabetes in Thai adults in 2009 and examine the extent of changes in proportions of diagnosis, treatment, and control for blood glucose, high blood pressure, and high total cholesterol between 2004 and 2009.RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODSData from the multistage cross-sectional National Health Examination Survey (NHES) IV of 18,629 Thai adults aged ≥20 years conducted in 2009 were used to analyze and compare with the data from NHES III in 2004.RESULTSThe prevalence of IFG and diabetes was 10.6 and 7.5%, respectively. Of all diabetes diagnoses, 35.4% were not previously diagnosed, and the proportion was higher in men than in women (47.3 vs. 23.4%, P < 0.05). Compared with those in year 2004, the proportions of individuals with diabetes and concomitant hypertension did not significantly decrease in 2009 in both sexes, but the proportions of women with diabetes who were abdominally obese or had high total cholesterol (≥5.2 mmol/L) significantly increased in 2009 by 18.0 and 23.5%, respectively (all P < 0.01). The rates of treatment and control of blood glucose, high blood pressure, and high total cholesterol were favorably improved in 2009. However, in substantial proportions of individuals with diabetes these concomitants were still controlled suboptimally.CONCLUSIONSThe prevalence of diabetes and IFG remained high in Thai adults. Improvement in detection and control of diabetes and associated metabolic risk factors, particularly obesity and high serum cholesterol, are necessary.

Diabetes in Asia and the Pacific: Implications for the Global Epidemic

“…Figure 1 shows the map of the WPR, and Table 2 reports the temporal changes in the prevalence of diabetes in these countries. The rising trend in the developing countries is considerably steeper compared with the developed countries (1,12,14,15,(17)(18)(19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28)(29)(30)(31)(32)(33)(34). In recent decades, apart from the WHO STEPS studies (11), there have been very few national diabetes studies for the Pacific Ocean nations (14).…”

“…In Thailand, the National Health Examination Survey showed that the diabetes prevalence in people aged $15 increased from 2.5% in 1991 to 4.6% in 1997 and to 6.8% in 2004 (32). In 2009, their National Health Examination Survey (33) found the prevalence of impaired fasting glucose was 10.6% and diabetes was 7.5% (of which 35.4% were undiagnosed cases) in adults aged $20 years. These prevalences were likely to be underestimates because diagnosis relied only on a single FPG, history of physician diagnosis, and information on medications (33).…”

“…In 2009, their National Health Examination Survey (33) found the prevalence of impaired fasting glucose was 10.6% and diabetes was 7.5% (of which 35.4% were undiagnosed cases) in adults aged $20 years. These prevalences were likely to be underestimates because diagnosis relied only on a single FPG, history of physician diagnosis, and information on medications (33). The age-standardized prevalence in Singapore has remained constant at ;11% during the last two decades.…”

Thailand's food retail transition: supermarket and fresh market effects on diet quality and health

“…Food types associated with these changes in the nutritive value of Thai diets are connected to rising incomes and an increasing desire for dietary convenience. So consumption of instant foods (particularly instant noodles), snack foods (such as potato chips), soft drinks and sweet cakes and bread products are all rising (Aekplakorn, 2011). When examined overall it has recently been shown that sugar sweetened beverages lead the way in Thailand for transitional caloric excess (Baker and Friel, 2014).…”

Health-Risk Factors and 8-Year Incidence of Kidney Disease in Transitional Thailand: Prospective Findings From a Large National Cohort Study

“…Thailand's rapid socio-economic development in the last 4 decades leads to urbanization (Lim, Kjellstrom, et al, 2009), and sedentary work. People consume more calories and more fat, sugar and salt (Aekplakorn et al, 2011;Lim et al, 2014;Pitayatienanan et al, 2014). Urbanization altered lifestyle with more alcohol consumption and a higher incidence of non-communicable diseases such as hypertension, high cholesterol and obesity (Wakabayashi et al, 2015).…”