title: The rising prevalence of diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance: the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To determine the population-based prevalence of diabetes and other categories of glucose intolerance (impaired glucose tolerance [IGT] and impaired fasting glucose [IFG]) in Australia and to compare the prevalence with previous Australian data.
  
  
  METHODS
  A national sample involving 11,247 participants aged > or =25 years living in 42 randomly selected areas from the six states and the Northern Territory were examined in a cross-sectional survey using the 75-g oral glucose tolerance test to assess fasting and 2-h plasma glucose concentrations. The World Health Organization diagnostic criteria were used to determine the prevalence of abnormal glucose tolerance.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The prevalence of diabetes in Australia was 8.0% in men and 6.8% in women, and an additional 17.4% of men and 15.4% of women had IGT or IFG. Even in the youngest age group (25-34 years), 5.7% of subjects had abnormal glucose tolerance. The overall diabetes prevalence in Australia was 7.4%, and an additional 16.4% had IGT or IFG. Diabetes prevalence has more than doubled since 1981, and this is only partially explained by changes in age profile and obesity.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Australia has a rapidly rising prevalence of diabetes and other categories of abnormal glucose tolerance. The prevalence of abnormal glucose tolerance in Australia is one of the highest yet reported from a developed nation with a predominantly Europid background.
authors.affiliation: International Diabetes Institute, Melbourne, Australia. ddunstan@idi.org.au
authors.forename: David W
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Dunstan
authors.forename: Paul Z
authors.initials: PZ
authors.lastname: Zimmet
authors.forename: Timothy A
authors.initials: TA
authors.lastname: Welborn
authors.forename: Maximilian P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: De Courten
authors.forename: Adrian J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Cameron
authors.forename: Richard A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Sicree
authors.forename: Terry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Dwyer
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Colagiuri
authors.forename: Damien
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Jolley
authors.forename: Matthew
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Knuiman
authors.forename: Robert
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Atkins
authors.forename: Jonathan E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Shaw
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001315:Australia / Q000453:epidemiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005951:Glucose Tolerance Test; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors