1998 Volume 41 Issue 5 Pages 355-362
Although a rapid increase in diabetes mellitus has been noted in Japan in recent years, its prevalence in comparison with other countries was unknown. Data based on epidemiological studies carried out throughout the country have been collected since 1989, however, and we used them to make comparisons with data from other countries. Data from 10 survey sites in Japan and populations in 25 other countries (the latter obtained through the courtesy of the World Health Organization) were included in this study. The mean prevalence of diabetes in the 40-64 years age range in these Japanese studies was 7.14% among males and 4.50% among females, and the meanprevalence of impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) was 14.31% and 15.56%, respectively. In the 40-74-year age range, the mean prevalence of diabetes was 10.06% among males and 5.95% amongfemales, and the prevalence of IGT was 17.29% and 15.80%, respectively. All populations, includ ing the Japanese populations, were arranged in order of prevalence and divided into 3 groups: a high, moderate and low prevalence group. The prevalences of diabetes in Japanese male populations ranged from high to low, and in female populations, from moderate to low. The prevalence of IGT in Japanese populations, both male and female, ranged from high to low, and varied according to locality. The prevalence of IGT in Japan was found to be much higher than that of diabetes, and was higher than in many other countries.
