The Relationship between Body Mass Index and Pre-Diabetes In Teachers Residing in Shiraz-Iran 2009

Background: Diabetes and cardiovascular diseases often go hand in hand and conversely, many patients with established coronary heart disease suffer from diabetes or its pre-states. Thus, it is high time that diabetologists and cardiologists join their forces to improve the quality management in diagnosis and care for the millions of patients who have both cardiovascular and metabolic diseases in common. The cardio-diabetological approach not only is of utmost importance for the sake of those patients, but also instrumental for further progress in the fields of cardiology and diabetology and prevention.Methods: This descriptive cross- sectional study was conducted February to December 2009. A total of 3115 teachers residing in Shiraz aged 21- 73 years, were enrolled. Questionnaires were applied to collect information including demographic data, physical activity, history of CAD, hypertension, dyslipidemia,and smoking. In addition, waist circumference, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and hip circumference (HC) were measured and serum biochemistry profiles were determined on venous blood samples. The prevalence of diabetes, hypercholesterolemia,hypertriglyceridemia, hypertension, overweight, obesity, central obesity, and smoking were identified based on the above mentioned data.Results: Total prevalence of impaired fasting glucose and diabetes were 47.2% and 6.2% and the prevalence of impaired fasting glucose and diabetes were 44.3% and 5.3% among men and 49.2% and 6.6% among women respectively. Thus the association of sex with prevalent impaired fasting glucose and diabetes was significant and greater among women. Diabetes and prediabetes are more prevalent in men and women who are considered as obese in regard to waist circumference and waist/hip ratio scales. This study showed a relationship between higher range of BMI and prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes.Conclusion: Obesity is a preventable risk factor for diabetes mellitus and preventive measures taken to control obesity are effective means of reducing the risk of diabetes mellitus and also cardiovascular disease.