Perception of risk of developing diabetes in offspring of type 2 diabetic patients.
BACKGROUND
The risk of developing diabetes is high in the offspring of patients with type 2 diabetes. There have been no studies to assess the offspring's awareness of the risk of developing diabetes. The aim of this study was to investigate how the male offspring of type 2 diabetic patients assess their likelihood of developing diabetes.


METHODS
One hundred and one non-diabetic men with one or both parents having type 2 diabetes, aged 19-28 years, were recruited.


RESULTS
Thirty-nine subjects (38.6%) were concerned about diabetes and 85 (84.2%) considered diabetes a serious problem. However, only 10 (9.9%) thought they might develop diabetes and 9 (8.9%) had previously attended diabetes education programs with their parents. The educational level amongst the diabetic parents was the only independent predictor of perception of the increased risk. Age, body mass index, waist-to-hip ratio, educational level and the perception of diabetes as a serious problem were not associated with perception of the increased risk.


CONCLUSIONS
Most offspring of diabetic parents lacked knowledge about the increased risk amongst family members. We suggest that physicians and diabetic educators should provide knowledge about the increased risk of developing diabetes in offspring and the benefit of lifestyle modification to delay or prevent the development of the disease.
Kim
Jaetaek
J
Department of Internal Medicine, Chung-Ang University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Choi
Seungjin
S
Kim
Chee Jeong
CJ
Oh
Yeonsahng
Y
Shinn
Soon Hyun
SH
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000235:genetics*; D004522:Educational Status; D005190:Family; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D007723:Korea; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008889:Military Personnel; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires