Objective: To examine the association of weight status with level of diabetes knowledge (symptoms and complications) among residents of Jeddah City, Saudi Arabia.
Methods: In a cross-sectional study, a questionnaire assessing sociodemographic and health characteristics and knowledge about diabetes and its symptoms and complications was utilized. Data of 3978 adults, 18 years of age or older, were collected from public mall sites in Jeddah city and surrounding areas. Participants were divided into three tertiles based on their knowledge scores. Weight and height were measured following standardized procedures, and body weight categories were defined based on body mass index (BMI). The association between weight status and tertiles of diabetes knowledge was examined using multinomial logistic regression analysis.
Results: Compared to normal-weight participants, participants who were underweight, overweight, or obese, did not differ with regards to knowledge about diabetes symptoms. Adjusted models showed that overweight and obese participants had lower odds of being in the lowest tertile of knowledge about diabetes complications compared to normal-weight participants (OR: 0.71, 95% CI: 0.58-0.86 and OR: 0.64, 95% CI: 0.51-0.79, respectively). With regards to general knowledge about diabetes, the knowledge of participants who were underweight did not differ when compared to normal-weight participants. Overweight and obese participants had lower odds of being in the lowest tertile of general knowledge about diabetes compared to normal-weight participants (OR: 0.78, 95% CI: 0.62-0.97 and OR: 0.60, 95% CI: 0.47-0.76, respectively).
Conclusions: Overweight and obese individuals have better knowledge about diabetes compared to normal-weight individuals. Public health programs need to take into account the level of diabetes knowledge and tailor interventions to aid behavior and lifestyle change.