Prediabetes, diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes, their risk factors and association with knowledge of diabetes in rural B angladesh: The B angladesh P opulation‐based D iabetes and E ye S tudy

Background The aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence and risk factors of prediabetes and diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes mellitus ( DM ) in rural B angladesh. Methods Using a population‐based cluster random sampling strategy, 3104 adults aged ≥30 years were recruited. Fasting capillary blood glucose, blood pressure, height, weight, waist circumference, and knowledge, attitudes, and practice related to diabetes were recorded. Diabetes was defined as fasting glucose ( FG ) ≥7.0 mmol/L or a self‐reported diagnosis of diabetes; impaired FG ( IFG ) was defined as FG  ≥ 6.1 and <7.0 mmol/L. Results The overall crude prevalence of DM was 7.2% (95% confidence interval [ CI ] 6.3%–8.1%; n  = 222), of which 55% ( n  = 123) was previously undiagnosed ( UDM ). The prevalence of IFG was 5.3% (95% CI 4.5%–6.1%; n  = 163). The age‐standardized prevalence of DM and IFG was 6.6% and 5.0%, respectively. The prevalence of UDM was higher in people of lower socioeconomic status (59% vs 31%; P  < 0.001). Of those with known DM , 56% had poor glycemic control ( FG  ≥ 7.0 mmol/L) and 37% were not on medication. Overall knowledge of DM was poor; only 16.3%, 17.8%, and 13.4% of those with UDM , IFG , and normal FG knew that diabetes causes eye disease, compared with 55.6% of those with known DM ( P trend  < 0.001). Conclusions In this rural B angladeshi community, UDM was high. Lower socioeconomic status was associated with a higher risk of UDM . Overall knowledge of DM was poor. Public health programmes should target those of low socioeconomic status and aim to increase knowledge of DM in rural B angladesh.