Risk Factor Trends in the Inhabitants of the Marmara Region: Smoking, obesity, physical activity and diabetes mellitus

A cohort of the Marmara region which consitutes 1/4 of the population of Turkey w as surveyed for the third time in June 1997. A total of 760 adults (comprising 518 subjects of the original cohort and 212 persons newly enrolled) were examined. This report deseribes the data pertaining to cigarette smoking, relative weight, physical activity and prevalence of glucose intolerance and analyzes relevant changes incurred over the past 7 years. Adjustment for aging by 7 years was carried out for each parameter and gender by taking into account the weighted differences of mean values in various agegroupsin the initial survey. In the Marmara region during 1990 and 1997, the proportion of smokers rose . by one-quarter in women, while in men a minimal decline was noted. Body mass index rose in men by 0.86 kgfm2 - corresponding to about 2.5 kg - as contrasted to women who had no significant change, yet were previously known to be obese in general. In the assessment of physical activity, much harder to approach objectively, men and women appeared to have increased their activity by 20% and 14% though the reliability of this finding may be low. Utilized criteria for identifying diabetes were: persons known to be diabetic, a fasting glucose concentration in venous plasma of > 140, or a postprandial value > 200 mg/dl. The prevalence of diabetes in the entire cohort was 5% and 6.3% in men and women, that of glucose intolerance 1.2% and 3.3%, respectively. Theserates imply the continuation of a rising trend.