Risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus in adolescents secondary school students in Port Harcourt, Nigeria

Authors

  • Jaja T Department of Paediatrics
  • Yarhere IE Department of Paediatrics

Abstract

Abstract:

Background: The prevalence of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2 DM) in children and adolescents is on the increase, therefore, prevention and early detection are important.

Objective: To assess for easily  identifiable risk factors (overweight/obesity, hypertension, Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG) and family history of diabetes) for T2DM in adolescents in public secondary schools

Result: Eight hundred and eighty adolescents aged 10 to 19 years were screened and 124(14.1%) were overweight/obese. 457
(51.9%) of students had none of the risk factors while 272(30.9%) had at least one risk factor. Using the American Diabetes Association criteria for identification ofthose at risk for T2DM, 21(2.4%)were identified. The frequency of presence of risk factors was more in females (3.3%), mid adolescent age group (3.1%) and those with positive family history of diabetes. These findings  were however not statistically significant. There was a statistically significant association between presence of hypertension and impaired fasting glucose and risk factor for type 2 DM.

Conclusion: The significant risk factors identified in this study were prehypertension/hypertension and impaired fasting blood glucose.

Keywords: Adolescence, Risk factors, Type 2 diabetes mellitus

Author Biographies

  • Jaja T, Department of Paediatrics



    Department of Paediatrics,
    University of Port Harcourt Teaching
    Hospital. Rivers State, Nigeria

  • Yarhere IE, Department of Paediatrics


    University of Port Harcourt Teaching
    Hospital. Rivers State, Nigeria

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Published

2024-07-02

Issue

Vol. 42 No. 2 (2015): Nigerian Journal of Paediatrics

Section

ORIGINALS

License

This is an open-access journal, and articles are distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License, which allows others to remix, transform, and build upon the work even, commercially, as long as appropriate credit is given to the author, and the new creations are licensed under identical terms

How to Cite

Risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus in adolescents secondary school students in Port Harcourt, Nigeria. (2024). NIGERIAN JOURNAL OF PAEDIATRICS, 42(2), 137-141. https://www.njpaediatrics.com/index.php/njp/article/view/271