Prevalence and determinants of diabetes mellitus and glucose intolerance in a Canarian Caucasian population - comparison of the 1997 ADA and the 1985WHO criteria. The Guia Study.

Aims To estimate the prevalence of diabetes mellitus, impaired fasting gluc ose and impaired glucose tolerance in a Canarian population according to th e 1997 ADA and the 1985 WHO criteria; and to study the cardiovascular risk factors associated with these categories. Methods A total of 691 subjects over 30 years old were chosen in a random s ampling of the population (stratified by age and sex). An oral glucose tole rance test was performed (excluding known diabetic patients) and lipids wer e determined in the fasting state. Anthropometric and blood pressure measur ements were performed, and history of smoking habits and medications was re corded. Results The prevalence of diabetes was 15.9% (1997 ADA) and 18.7% (1985 WHO ); the prevalence of impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose toleranc e was 8.8 and 17.1%, respectively. The age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes (Segi's standard world population) for the population aged 30-64 years was 12.4% (1985 WHO). The risk factors significantly associated with diabetes ( 1997 ADA and 1985 WHO) were age, body mass index; waist-to-hip ratio, systo lic and mean blood pressure, triglycerides, total cholesterol and low HDL-c holesterol. Age, body mass index and systolic blood pressure were associate d with impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance; triglycerid es were also associated with impaired fasting glucose. Conclusions The prevalence of diabetes mellitus and glucose intolerance in Guia is one of the highest among studied Caucasian populations. The new 199 7 ADA criteria estimate a lower prevalence of diabetes. Impaired fasting gl ucose also had a lower prevalence than impaired glucose intolerance and the overlap of these categories was modest.