Prevalence of non-invasive risk factors of type 2 diabetes among higher education teachers in North-Western Nigeria

Abstract EN

Background : Teaching is associated with a number of stressful circumstances that promote unhealthy lifestyles capable of fuelling risk factors for metabolic and cardiovascular disorders.

This study investigated the prevalence of selected non-invasive risk factors of Type 2 Diabetes (T2D) among higher education teachers.

Methods : Higher education teachers numbering 876 from three tertiary institutions in Kano, North-Western Nigeria were assessed on selected non-invasive risk factors of T2D including Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist Circumference (WC), Waist-Hip-ratio (WHR), Percent Body Fat (PBF) and family history of diabetes.

Lifestyle including smoking, alcoholism and physical inactivity were also assessed.

Results : Female-male ratio of participants was 1 : 5 while the age range was 24-58 years.

Female teachers had higher prevalence of poor adiposity markers represented by overweight (33.8 %), obesity (12.7 %), high PBF (21.7 %) and WC in the high risk domain (53.5 %).

They also had higher prevalence of hypertension (22.5 %) while men had higher prevalence of WHR (31.2 %) in the high risk domain.

Positive family history of diabetes was 6.5 % (males), 7.5 % (females) ; physical activity at walking level 46.0 % (males), sedentary activity 85.9% (females); current smoking habit 42.8 % (males), 4.3 % (females) and current alcohol consumption was 11.9 % for males and 0 % for female teachers.

Conclusion : There may be considerable chances of developing T2D among the higher education teachers based on prevalence of the selected risk factors and the risk may be higher among the female teachers.

Measures to change the modifiable risk factors for the better in this population are urgently needed.