The Saudi Abnormal Glucose Metabolism and Diabetes Impact Study (SAUDI-DM)

Abstract

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVESSaudi Arabia underwent opulence-driven socio-cultural and lifestyle changes leading to soaring rates of diabetes mellitus. This study exposes the epidemiology of abnormal glucose metabolism namely: diabetes and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in 13 administrative regions of Saudi Arabia.DESIGN AND SETTINGSThis is a nationwide, household, population-based cross-sectional study that was conducted through primary health care centers during the period 2007–2009.PATIENTS AND METHODSA nationwide, household, population-based cohort of 53 370 participants aged 0–100 years adjusted to be compatible with population census was interviewed and anthropometric measures were collected. Fasting blood sample was used to screen for IFG and diabetes.RESULTSThe overall prevalence of abnormal glucose metabolism was 34.5%, which included 22.6% patients with IFG, 11.9% patients with diabetes, and 6.2% patients who unaware of their disease. Diabetes prevalence was 40.2% for subjects aged ≥45 years and 25.4% for those aged ≥30 years that decreased to 11.9% when the full age spectrum was considered. Type 1 diabetes prevalence was 0. 8%, contributing only to 6.6% of the total population of patients with diabetes. The top 5 regions with the highest abnormal glucose metabolism prevalence were Makkah (43.4%), Aljouf (41.7%), Eastern region (37.16%), Madinah (35.4%), and Qassim (33.7%). Urbanization, age, and obesity were behind the wide variations in diabetes and IFG prevalence in the 13 regions.CONCLUSIONAbnormal glucose metabolism has reached an epidemic state in Saudi Arabia, where one-third of the population is affected and half of diabetic cases were unaware of their disease. This observation warrants an urgent strategy for launching diabetes primary prevention and screening programs.

<p>The Association Between Prediabetes and Dyslipidemia Among Attendants of Primary Care Health Centers in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia</p>

“…Using any of the three classification criteria IFG, IGT and high HbA1c (5.7-6.4%), prediabetes was detected in 28.7% of the participants, which is much higher than the 11.9% prevalence reported previously in Jeddah, 14 but closer to an earlier national, household, population-based study of 22.6%. 28 The noted differences in prevalence estimates might be attributed to the different methods used for defining prediabetes, as well as the difference in age between the populations studied, since age is one of the strongest predictors of diabetes and prediabetes in various populations, [29][30][31] including our own. 14 Prediabetes was identified in only 7 individuals (or 4.0% of total people with prediabetes) using FPG, confirming the earlier suggestion of low sensitivity of FPG to detect diabetes and prediabetes.…”

Trends of Diabetes Mortality in Iran at National and Sub-national levels from 1990 to 2015 and its association with socioeconomic factors

“…Other studies have also yielded similar results. A study on the entire Danish diabetic population (based on historical individual register data) showed that compared to patients with less education, diabetic patients with a higher level of education were approximately 26% less prone to mortality and 10-15% less prone to developing complications (24).…”

In Vivo Exposures to Particulate Matter Collected from Saudi Arabia or Nickel Chloride Display Similar Dysregulation of Metabolic Syndrome Genes

“…Incidences of diabetes mellitus have significantly increased in Saudi Arabia over the past decade. Al-Rubeaan et al (2014) found in a cohort of over 5000 subjects, abnormal glucose metabolism occurred in almost 35% of subjects. An investigation performed by Al-Nozha et al (2004) noted overall prevalence for diabetes mellitus in adults in Saudi Arabia was 23.7%.…”