The Rising Prevalence of Diabetes and Impaired Glucose Tolerance

The Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study

  1. David W. Dunstan, PHD1,
  2. Paul Z. Zimmet, MD1,
  3. Timothy A. Welborn, PHD2,
  4. Maximilian P. de Courten, MD1,
  5. Adrian J. Cameron, MPH1,
  6. Richard A. Sicree, MPH1,
  7. Terry Dwyer, PHD3,
  8. Stephen Colagiuri, MD4,
  9. Damien Jolley, MSC5,
  10. Matthew Knuiman, PHD6,
  11. Robert Atkins, MD7,
  12. Jonathan E. Shaw, MD1 and
  13. On Behalf of the AusDiab Steering Committee
  1. 1International Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia
  2. 2Department of Medicine, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
  3. 3Menzies Centre for Population Health Research, University of Tasmania, Hobart, Australia
  4. 4Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, the Prince of Wales Hospital, New South Wales, Sydney, Australia
  5. 5School of Health Sciences, Deakin University, Melbourne, Australia
  6. 6Department of Public Health, University of Western Australia, Perth, Australia
  7. 7Department of Nephrology, Monash University, Melbourne, Australia

    Abstract

    OBJECTIVE—To determine the population-based prevalence of diabetes and other categories of glucose intolerance (impaired glucose tolerance [IGT] and impaired fasting glucose [IFG]) in Australia and to compare the prevalence with previous Australian data.

    RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—A national sample involving 11,247 participants aged ≥25 years living in 42 randomly selected areas from the six states and the Northern Territory were examined in a cross-sectional survey using the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test to assess fasting and 2-h plasma glucose concentrations. The World Health Organization diagnostic criteria were used to determine the prevalence of abnormal glucose tolerance.

    RESULTS—The prevalence of diabetes in Australia was 8.0% in men and 6.8% in women, and an additional 17.4% of men and 15.4% of women had IGT or IFG. Even in the youngest age group (25–34 years), 5.7% of subjects had abnormal glucose tolerance. The overall diabetes prevalence in Australia was 7.4%, and an additional 16.4% had IGT or IFG. Diabetes prevalence has more than doubled since 1981, and this is only partially explained by changes in age profile and obesity.

    CONCLUSIONS—Australia has a rapidly rising prevalence of diabetes and other categories of abnormal glucose tolerance. The prevalence of abnormal glucose tolerance in Australia is one of the highest yet reported from a developed nation with a predominantly Europid background.

    Footnotes

    • Address correspondence and reprint requests to Dr. David Dunstan, International Diabetes Institute, 250 Kooyong Road, Caulfield, Victoria, Australia 3162. E-mail: ddunstan{at}idi.org.au.

      Received for publication 21 January 2002 and accepted in revised form 21 January 2002.

      A table elsewhere in this issue shows conventional and Système International (SI) units and conversion factors for many substances.

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    1. doi: 10.2337/diacare.25.5.829 Diabetes Care May 2002 vol. 25 no. 5 829-834
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