Prevalence of diabetes mellitus and other abnormalities of glucose tolerance in young adults aged 20–40 years in North India (Kashmir Valley)

AimsTo assess the burden of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and other abnormalities of glucose tolerance in young-adult (20–40 years) men and non-pregnant women.MethodsPrevalence of diagnosed T2DM, undiagnosed T2DM and other abnormalities of glucose tolerance studied in 3032 subjects from Kashmir Valley of India. The study included a questionnaire, anthropological measurements, blood sampling, and a standard OGTT.ResultsEight (0.3%) of surveyed subjects were previously diagnosed to have diabetes. Of 3024 subjects screened, prevalence of diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), and impaired fasting glycemia [IFG, World Health Organization, Definition, Diagnosis, and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus and its Complications. Part 1. Diagnosis and Classification of Diabetes Mellitus, World Health Organization, Geneva, 1999], IFG [American Diabetes Association, Diagnosis and classification of diabetes mellitus, Diabetes Care 27 (Suppl. 1) (2004) S5–S10] was 2.5%, 2.0%, 11.9% and 26.7%, respectively. Overall, age-adjusted prevalence of T2DM (known plus unknown), IGT, IFG (WHO) and IFG (ADA) was 2.4% (95% CI: 1.9–3.0), 1.6% (95% CI: 1.3–2.2), 11.1% (95% CI: 10.0–12.3), and 25.2% (95% CI: 23.7–26.8), respectively. The difference in diabetes prevalence was significant by age, habitat, family history of diabetes and BMI. The ratio of known-to-unknown diabetes was 1:10.ConclusionsThis is the first large scale study from North India on prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the younger age group of 20–40 years. Abnormal glucose tolerance including undiagnosed T2DM is common in young adults.