Diabetes prevalence and its risk factors in urban Pondicherry.

The present study was conducted in the Urban Health centre, Muthialpet, Pondicherry covering a population of 40000 from July to October 2007 by using a predesigned and pretested proforma to find out the risk of diabetes in general population by using Indian Diabetes Risk Score. A total of 616 respondents were studied comprising 325(53%) females and 290(47%) males. Majority 518(85%) were Hindus. Of them, 380 (62 %) had studied up to higher secondary and above, 539 (87%) belonged to upper middle and upper socioeconomic class. A large number of the subjects 422(68%) were above 35 years of age. Most of the respondents 558(90.50%) indulged in mild to moderate physical activity. Again, 422 (68.50%) had no family history of diabetes mellitus, 315 (51%) individuals were in the overweight category (>25 BMI), and 261 (83%) of high Diabetic Risk Score individuals were overweight. It is observed that chances of high diabetic score increase with the increase in BMI. Prevalence of diabetes in the studied population were 51 (8.27%), out of that 39 (76%) had high (>60) IDRS score. The relationship between BMI and IDRS shows that if BMI increases from under weight (<18.50) to obesity (>30) chances of risk for diabetes also increases significantly.