title: Prevalence of diabetes mellitus in a Saudi community.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this retrospective cross sectional study is to find out the prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus according to age and sex in the population attending the family and community medicine clinic in Al-Kharj Armed Forces Hospital.
  
  
  METHODS
  Total eligible patients of Al-Kharj Military Hospital are about 100,000. The case notes in Medical Records were selected randomly and examined. Data was collected from 3747 case notes. They were divided into different age groups and also separated into male and female groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus in this study sample of 3747 (1,683 males and 2,064 females) was 2.55% in males and 5.32% in females. In the age group of 35 and above the prevalence in males was 8.52% and in females 19.48%.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  A high prevalence of Diabetes Mellitus was noted in the population and particularly in females. There is need for comprehensive programs for the prevention of Diabetes Mellitus particularly in the adult population.
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, Al-Kharj Armed Forces Hospital, Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Karim
authors.forename: D O
authors.initials: DO
authors.lastname: Ogbeide
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Siddiqui
authors.forename: I M
authors.initials: IM
authors.lastname: Al-Khalifa
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D006293:Health Promotion; D006772:Hospitals, Military / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D012111:Residence Characteristics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012529:Saudi Arabia / Q000453:epidemiology; D017678:Sex Distribution