Regional Differences in Diabetes Mellitus Typ 2 (T2DM) Morbidity and Mortality in North America and Europe

Andrea Werdecker, Ulrich Mueller
Regional Differences in Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 (T2DM) Morbidity and Mortality in North America and Europe:
Reality or Measurement Artefact?
Short Abstract Prepared for Presentation at IUSSP 2013
Cancer, Metabolic Syndrome, Dementias are the dominant health problems in aging societies, T2DM advancing all three. The considerable regional differences in T2DM prevalence may be questioned, and so are estimations of undiagnosed T2DM. OECD multiplied observed prevalence for the UK by 1,5 and doubled for other European countries. In the US, lowest diabetes prevalence is found in Midwest, Northeast, highest in Southern, Appalachian states, with variation 150% as compared to the lowest, applying for men and women, younger and older (60+) alike. In European Union, prevalence variation is even higher at 180-200% highest in Portugal, Germany vs. UK, Sweden. However, when correlated with regional obesity rates or ischemic heart disease and stroke mortality, this variation seems plausible, being good news since it justifies regional prevention strategies. Estimating undiagnosed T2DM by elevated Fastening Plasma Glucose and HbA1c alone, however, leads to much lower total prevalence than still assumed in authoritative sources.