Increased prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance in a representative rural population from Deleni, Romania

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the frequency of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) in a cross-section of the adult rural population of the village Deleni in northeast Romania. We observed a IGT in 25.9% and diabetes in 14.55% of the general population, and only 60% of randomly selected subjects with a normal glucose tolerance. With regards to gender, we observed slightly higher values in female patients (28.3% with IGT, 17.3% with diabetes), as compared to 10.47% with diabetes and 20.95% with IGT in males. Our report reveals a high prevalence of diabetes and IGT among the rural population of Deleni, Romania. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an increased awareness of diabetes and for an energetic intervention against diabetes and similar lifestyle-related diseases in the rural areas of Romania.

Keywords

• impaired glucose tolerance
• rural population
• diabetes
• 75-g oral glucose load.