Risk Factors for Developing Diabetes Mellitus amongst Diabetic Patients Attending at the Chittagong Diabetes Hospital Complex

Abstract

A total of five hundred and twelve diabetic patients attending at Chittagong
Diabetes Hospital Complex (CDHC) were chosen randomly to identify the risk
factors involved in Diabetes Mellitus (DM) in Chittagong. The patients were
grouped based on age, sex, Body Mass Index (BMI), family history, blood pressure,
socioeconomic class and living area. Higher percentages of female diabetics were
observed than male in all age groups. In the subjects studied, 74.61% had BMI
>22.0. Higher percentage (60.74%) of diabetics was found to be associated with
previous family history of DM. Some 64.06% of diabetic subjects were from rich
socio-economic class, whereas 22.77% and 13.67% were from middle and poor
class respectively. Urban subjects were higher (77.14%)) than rural (22.86%)) in all
age groups irrespective of sex. About 51.37%) o f diabetics had diastolic blood
pressure >90 mmHg which is higher than those having dBP <70 mmHg (18.16%o),
70-90 mmHg (30.47%). Higher percentage (56.25%o) of diabetics had systolic blood
pressure (sBP) > 140 mmHg as compared to those having sBP 121-140 mmHg
(32.21%) and <120 mmHg (10.55%). Diabetics was highest (61.32%o) in both sexes
in age group 31-50 yrs compared to the age group <30 yrs (7.42%o) and >50 yrs
(31.25%)).Thus, it was concluded that high BMI, positive family history, high blood
pressure, increased age and rich socio-economic class were the prevalent risk
factors for developing DM in the study subjects.