Prevalence of diabetes in Catalonia (Spain): an oral glucose tolerance test-based population study

The goal of this study was to investigate the prevalence of diabetes mellit us and impaired glucose tolerance in the adult population of Catalonia and study their association with obesity, central obesity, hypertension and smo king habit. A random sample of 3839 subjects aged 30-89 years participated in this cross-sectional study: 2214 subjects underwent a health examination with oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) and 1625 were interviewed by phone . Diabetes prevalence (known and unknown) in the 30-89-year-old population was 10.3% (95% Ct: 9.1-11.6). In this age group, the prevalence rates of kn own diabetes, unknown diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance were 6.4, 3.9 and 11.9% in men and 6.9, 3.4 and 11.9% in women. The age adjusted prevale nce to the world population for the 30-64-year-old age group was 6.1% (7.1% in men and 5.2% in women). The factors significantly associated with diabe tes were age, obesity, hypertension and family history of diabetes. The hig h ratio of previously known diabetic cases to newly discovered ones, specia lly in the oldest age group, suggests good levels of awareness and medical services. The prevalence in Catalonia is similar to that observed in other Mediterranean countries. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.