Prevalence of type 2 diabetes and impaired fasting glucose in the middle-aged population of three French regions - The MONICA study 1995-97.

OBJECTIVES: The aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) in a population-based sample of 3 508 subjects, aged 35-64 years, participating in the French MONICA population survey from 1995 to 1997 in three French regions: the Urban Community of Lille, the Bas-Rhin and the Haute-Garonne.

MATERIAL AND METHODS: Previously diagnosed type 2 diabetes is defined by the current use of oral hypoglycaemic treatment and newly diagnosed subjects by fasting plasma glucose (FPG) > or =7.0 mmol/L according to the ADA 1997 recommendations. IFG was determined by 6.1< or =FPG< or =6.9 mmol/L. Adjusted prevalences are calculated according to the French 1990 census data.

RESULTS: Type 2 diabetes adjusted prevalence is 5.1% [4.1-6.1] in women and 7.3% [6.1-8.4] in men while IFG adjusted prevalence is 5.2% [4.2-6.2] and 11.8% [10.3-13.4] respectively. Prevalences of type 2 diabetes and IFG are both significantly higher in men than in women. This trend appears in any age group for IFG, but is only observed in 55-64 year-old subjects for type 2 diabetes. The reduction of the FPG threshold to screen diabetes mellitus from 7.8 to 7.0 mmol/L according to the ADA recommendations results in a 2.2-fold increase in the number of newly diagnosed diabetic subjects, screened by one FPG measurement, in our population-based sample.

CONCLUSIONS: The MONICA population survey confirms that type 2 diabetes represents a major health care problem in France and underlines the influence of gender on the prevalence of both type 2 diabetes and IFG in the French middle-aged population.