Turkish Adult Risk Factor survey 2013: rapid rise in the prevalence of diabetes

Objectives: To analyze (1) the sex-specific and age-bracket defned all-cause and coronary mortality in the 23-years' follow-up of the Turkish Adult Risk Factor Study, and (2) to determine the nation-wide prevalence of Type-2 diabetes and its recent trend. Study design: Information on the mode of death was obtained from frst-degree relatives and/or health personnel of local heath offce. Information collected from survivors was based on history, physical examination of the cardiovascular system and Minnesota coding of resting electrocardiograms. Diabetes was defned by criteria of the American Diabetes Association without the use of glycated hemoglobin. Results: Of the 1370 participants to be surveyed, 768 were examined, in 452 subjects information was gathered, and 29 men, 18 women were ascertained to have died. Cumulative assessment of the entire cohort in the age bracket of 45-74 years disclosed coronary mortality to be 7.5/1000 personyears in men and 3.74 in women, persisting to be high among the European countries. The recent decline observed in overall mortality seemed to halt as well. Of greatest concern was the fnding in the past 12 years that the rate of rise in the age-controlled prevalence of Type-2 diabetes was as high as 5% annually. Conclusion: Overall and coronary mortality in Turkish adults continue to be high, while an elicited annual increase of 5% in the age-controlled prevalence of diabetes is virtually alarming and requires new public health policies.