PREVALENCE OF DIABETES-MELLITUS AND IMPAIRED GLUCOSE-TOLERANCE IN A MIDDLE-AGED FINNISH POPULATION

Objective - To describe the prevalence of previously diagnosed and und iagnosed diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) by sex, marital status, employment, exercise behaviour, and body mass index (BMI), an d to compare previously diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetic patients. D esign - A survey of the total 55-year-old population living in a Finni sh city on 1 October 1990. All the participants who were not on antidi abetic medication mere invited for an oral glucose tolerance test (OGT T). Setting - Oulu, a city in northern Finland. Subjects - 1008 eligib le subjects (456 men and 552 women), of whom 345 men (76%) and 435 wom en (79%) participated. Main results - The prevalence of previously dia gnosed diabetes was 6.1% in the men and 3.0% in the women and that of previously undiagnosed diabetes 4.5% of the men and 3.7% of the women. The prevalence of IGT was 28.6% in the men and 26.7% in the women. Di abetes was related to BMI, and previously undiagnosed diabetes was rel ated to the amount of physical exercise in both sexes. One third of th e undiagnosed diabetic men and half of the undiagnosed diabetic women were identified among the persons with marked obesity (BMI 30 kg/m(2) or more). The group of previously diagnosed diabetic patients included a significantly greater proportion of retired people and people on si ck leave than the group of undiagnosed diabetic persons. Conclusions - Diabetes is common in middle-aged Finns. Undiagnosed diabetes was det ected especially in persons with marked obesity who were not physicall y active.