Differences in prevalence of diabetes mellitus type 2 and impaired fasting glucose between urban and rural areas according to PURE Poland substudy

This paper presents baseline results of the Prospective Urban Rural Epidemiology (PURE) Poland substudy of differences in prevalence of diabetes and impaired fasting glucose (IFG) between urban and rural areas. It covers group of 1643 people, aged 35 to 70 years old, inhabitants of Lower Silesia. The PURE study reached 22 countries with different statuses of economic development. All participants were tested in accordance to PURE project protocol. Data was collected at family (household) level and individual level. Diabetes was found in 12.0 % of our study population, IFG in 28.1 %, and normal glucose level in 59.9 %. Diabetes and IFG were more common in rural than in urban population, and higher percentage of people with diabetes was found in men comparing to women. In the PWBEC study conducted in years 1998–2000, diabetes prevalence was 5.3 %, in the NATPOL study conducted in years 1997–2002, 5.6 %; and in the latest PONS study from Świętokrzyskie voivodeship, 8.4 %. The percentage of people with diabetes in PURE Poland substudy was as high as 12 % and was higher than projections of diabetes prevalence in Poland for year 2030 (11.6 %). Significant differences of diabetes and IFG prevalence in respect to education and place of residence may arise from different attitudes of groups of patients to many other factors connected with prevention, treatment, and rehabilitation. Our study will continue to disclose other relevant risk factors in chosen areas.