Cardiometabolic risk profile of young and old adults with diabetes: Pooled, cross-sectional analysis of 42 national health surveys

Aims: To compare levels of cardiometabolic risk factors in young and old adults with diabetes. Methods: Pooled analysis of 42 STEPS Surveys (n = 133,717). Diabetes was defined as self-reported diagnosis or fasting plasma glucose ≥ 126 mg/dl. There were two age groups: < 40 and ≥ 40 years. We summarized the mean levels of four cardiometabolic risk factors by country, sex and age group. Results: In 11 (men) and seven countries (women), the mean BMI seemed higher in young versus old adults; largest difference was found in men in Qatar (∼6 kg/m²). For waist circumference, such pattern was observed in two (men) and in three (women) countries; largest difference in men in Tuvalu (∼7 cm). Regarding systolic blood pressure, in one country (Myanmar) the mean was higher in young men with ∼8 mmHg difference. Women in the oldest group always had higher mean systolic blood pressure. For total cholesterol, in 13 (men) and five (women) countries the mean was higher in young adults (difference was always <1 mmol/l). Conclusions: Levels of cardiometabolic risk factors in young versus old adults with diabetes were heterogenous across 42 countries and depended on the risk factor. This calls to monitor cardiometabolic risk factors in young adults with diabetes.