RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN AGE AT ONSET OF DIABETES MELLITUS, BODY SHAPE, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY AND COMPLICATED DISEASES OF DIABETIC PATIENTS IN AN URBAN POPULATION

Abstract

Body shape, daily physical-activity, cardiovascular risk factors and disease complications of diabetic patients were analyzed by the survey of mailed questionnaires. Of the 6, 800 men who were randomly selected, 1, 731 responded. The subjects were divided into two groups according to age (middle-aged group ; 40-60 yrs, old-aged group ; over 60 yrs) .
The physical-activity performed by the diabetic patients was similar to that of non-diabetic patients in the middle-aged group. IIowever, in the old-aged group the diabetic patients performed significantly less physical-activity than that of the non-diabetic cohort. The prevalence of coronary heart disease of diabetic patients in the old-aged group was significantly higher than their age-matched non-diabetic cohort. Also, in the old-aged group, the age at onset of hypercholesteremia of diabetic patients occurred significantly earlier than that of non-diabetic cohort.
The onset of the cardiovascular complications (hypertension and hypercholesteremia) of diabetes mellitus in patients with an earlier onset (40-49 yrs) of diabetes mellitus was related to their obesity, in diabetic patients with a later-onset (over 60 yrs) of diabetes mellitus there was no relationship with obesity and physical-activity throughout life are important in preventing onset and progression of coronary heart disease of the diabetic patient.