TITLE:
Childhood diabetes in a Bangladeshi population
AUTHORS:
M. Abu Sayeed, Mir Masudur Rhaman, Nurunnahar Fayzunnessa, Parvin Akter Khanam, Tanjima Begum, Hajera Mahtab, Akhter Banu
KEYWORDS:
Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus; Impaired Fasting Glucose; Family Income; Geographical Area
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Diabetes Mellitus,
Vol.3 No.1,
February
26,
2013
ABSTRACT: Backgrounds and Aims: Several epidemiological investigations
revealed that the prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) has been increasing
in the adult population of Bangladesh. But the prevalence of diabetes among the
children and adolescents in Bangladesh has not been reported. This study
addressed the prevalence of diabetes among the younger people in Bangladesh.
Subjects and Methods: We investigated school children of age group 10 - 18 years in rural, suburban and urban communities. Investigations
included socio-demographic information, height, weight, mid-upper-arm circumference
(MUAC), blood pressure (SBP, DBP) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG). We used WHO
criteria (1999) for impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and diabetes mellitus
(T2DM). Results: A total of 2152 students (boys/girls: 1064/1088) volunteered
the study. Their mean (SD) age was 13.3 (2.0) y, BMI was 18.5 (3.1) and MUAC
was 21.2 (3.4) cm. The mean (SD) of FPG was 4.6 (0.87) mmol/l. The prevalence of
IFG (95% CI) was 3.4% (2.63 - 4.17) and T2DM was 1.8% (1.23 - 2.37). BMI showed
no association with FPG in either sex. In assessing risk for hyperglycemia (FPG
> = 5.6mmol/l), logistic regression showed [odds ratio (OR) with 95% CI]
that compared with lower age (16 y) higher age had excess risk
(OR 5.2, 2.92 - 9.23). Compared with the rural the urban children had higher risk (OR 14.7, 6.41 - 33.78).
Higher family income was also found to have higher risk (BDT 8000: OR 2.03, 1.30 - 3.18); whereas, higher BMI and MUAC were proved to be
not significant. Conclusions: The prevalence of IFG and T2DM in Bangladeshi
children and adolescents appears to be high. The urban
children from the higher family income are the most vulnerable for developing
diabetes, obesity and hypertension. A prospective cohort including other
variables like physical activities, waist-girth,
insulin or macro-/micronutrients may explain which risk factors are significant
for developing diabetes among children and adolescents in Bangladesh.