Diabetes in rural individuals of different nutritional status and the alarming situation demands focus more on its under-nutrition association

Abstract

Objective: To study the relationship of nutritional-status with diabetes. Design: The socioeconomics/anthropometrics, blood-glucose/systemic-hypertension are evaluated in consecutively-selected diabetic-patients. Setting: Semi-urban/rural India. Subjects: Hyperglycaemic patients (total 90/male 37). Results: Blood-glucose (PP-mean ± SE) in individuals is overweight – 38.89% (226.94 ± 9.59), normal-weight − 50% (217.58 ± 1.34), underweight − 11.11% (305.50 ± 21.35) indicating most hyperglycaemia in undernourished-group (F = 6.357, p < 0.003). This group occupies higher glucose-groups in ≤140, 141–270, and ≥270 mg/dL. The blood-glucose negatively correlates with waist(r = −0.282; p < 0.01) and hip (r = −0.254; p < 0.05) circumference indicating the under-nutrition association with glucose-homeostasis (F = 7.6–8.2, p < 0.001). The higher glucose is noticed in more number of individuals in lower (<40 years) age-group (χ²= 12.86; p < 0.002/ρ = −0.355; p < 0.001). The prevalence of hypertension is 28% (underweight = 20%, overweight = 27%, normal = 30%). The group of 141–270 mg/dL glucose has 45% and rest groups together have 23% hypertensive individuals relating directly, hypertension and diabetic-onset. Conclusions: Diabetes, explored in <40 years group and even more in female should be extensively studied accounting WHO categorization (1985/TRS/727) of malnutrition related diabetes (MRDM). Further, different interactive risk-factors should be properly addressed and the global-malnutrition/gender-based inequities be eradicated.

• Body mass index
• blood pressure
• malnutrition related diabetes
• semi-urban/rural community
• socioeconomic status

Acknowledgements

All authors sincerely wish the sound health of all participants. Md. MK is the UGC Research-PhD Fellow (MANF- University Grants Commision, New Delhi) and working in the Department of Biochemistry.

Declaration of interest

The authors report no conflicts of interest. The authors alone are responsible for the content and writing of this article.