Prevalence of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in two non-random populations aged 44-77 years in the Faroe Islands

Anna Sofía Veyhe; Jens Andreassen; Jónrit Halling; Philippe Grandjean; Maria Skaalum Petersen; Pál Weihe

doi:10.1016/j.jcte.2019.100187

Prevalence of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in two non-random populations aged 44-77 years in the Faroe Islands

J Clin Transl Endocrinol. 2019 Mar 20:16:100187. doi: 10.1016/j.jcte.2019.100187. eCollection 2019 Jun.

Authors

Anna Sofía Veyhe^{1

2}, Jens Andreassen³, Jónrit Halling⁴, Philippe Grandjean^{5

6}, Maria Skaalum Petersen^{1

2}, Pál Weihe^{1

2}

Affiliations

¹ Department of Occupational Medicine and Public Health, The Faroese Hospital System, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.
² Center of Health Sciences, Faculty of Health Science and Nursing, University of the Faroe Islands, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.
³ National Hospital of the Faroe Islands, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.
⁴ Department of Science and Technology, University of the Faroe Islands, Tórshavn, Faroe Islands.
⁵ Institute of Public Health, University of Southern Denmark, Odense, Denmark.
⁶ Department of Environmental Health, Harvard School of Public Health, Boston, MA, United States.

Abstract

Aims: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes is increasing worldwide but little known about the status in the Faroe Islands. The aim was therefore to determine the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus and prediabetes in two non-random populations aged 44-77 years.

Methods: This cross-sectional survey was conducted between 2011 and 2012 and included two sub-populations, namely 518 Septuagenarians aged 74-77 years (84% of the invited) and 401 Mark aged 44-73 years (87% of the invited). Subjects were screened for glycosylated haemoglobin, type A1c, non-fasting random plasma glucose, fasting plasma glucose followed by an oral glucose tolerance test. The screening was based on a diagnostic algorithm that included screening, diagnostic and confirmatory steps.

Results: Each group was analysed separately. In the Septuagenarian group 20.4% had type 2 diabetes, with 5.2% being newly detected and a total of 59% had prediabetes. In the Mark group 4.1% had diabetes, with 2.1% being newly detected and 22.3% had prediabetes. Diabetes increased with age and was significantly more prevalent among men. Women had lower mean fasting plasma glucose concentrations and men had lower values for 2-hours plasma glucose. Significant predictors associated with diabetes mellitus included obesity (BMI ≥ 30, abnormal waist/hip ratio and vegetable consumption.

Conclusions: Among the Faroese populations studied, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes increased with age and was more prevalent among men. The detected prevalence was comparable to other Nordic countries for all age-groups.

Keywords: 2hPG, 2-hour plasma glucose; BMI, body mass index; CDC, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Diagnostic criteria; FPG, fasting plasma glucose; Faroe Islands; HbA1c, glycosylated heamoglobin type A1c; IFG, impaired fasting glycaemia; IGT, impaired glucose tolerance; Impaired glucose regulation; K-T2D, Previously Known Type 2 Diabetes; M, Mark; N-T2D, newly diagnosed diabetes; NGT, normal glucose tolerance; OCP, organochlorine pollutant; OGTT, oral glucose tolerance test; Prediabetes; Prevalence; RPG, random plasma glucose; S, Septuagenarians; SD, standard deviation; T2D, type 2 diabetes; Type 2 diabetes mellitus; WHO, World Health Organization; WHR, waist/hip ratio.