Lifestyle and Health Characteristics of the Adult Population of Serbia with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.

Background and

Objectives

Diabetes is one of the most common chronic non-communicable diseases and represents a major public health problem. At the global level, the epidemic character of diabetes mellitus can be attributed to an extended life expectancy but also to lifestyle. The aim of this study was to examine the sociodemographic, health, and lifestyle characteristics of adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus in Serbia. Materials and

Methods

The research is part of the Serbian Population Health Survey conducted in the period from October to December 2019 by the Republic Statistical Office, in cooperation with the Institute of Public Health of Serbia "Dr Milan Jovanović Batut" and the Ministry of Health of the Republic of Serbia. The research instrument was standardized questionnaires constructed in accordance with the European Health Interview Survey (EHIS-European Health Interview Survey, wave 3) questionnaire, which were adapted to the specifics of our area. The research was conducted as a cross-sectional study on a representative sample of the adult population of Serbia.

Results

Among 1138 adults with type 2 diabetes in Serbia (52.8% female; mean age 66.0 ± 11.9 years), overweight and obesity were highly prevalent (40.1% and 34.4%, respectively), with Obesity I predominating. Significant gender differences were observed: female more often reported obesity, multimorbidity, and depressive symptoms, whereas men were more physically active and more frequently overweight. Most participants were physically inactive, consumed breakfast and bread daily, and had low engagement in cycling and sports. Alcohol consumption was significantly higher in men, while dietary habits differed by gender for bread intake. These findings highlight substantial gender- and lifestyle-related disparities among adults with type 2 diabetes in Serbia.

Conclusions

Targeted interventions promoting healthy lifestyle, physical activity, psychosocial support, and chronic disease management are urgently needed to address gender- and lifestyle-related disparities in adults with type 2 diabetes in Serbia.