Prevalence, incidence and mortality of type 2 diabetes mellitus revisited: a prospective population-based study in The Netherlands (ZODIAC-1).
BACKGROUND
To present actual data to estimate prevalence, incidence and mortality of known type 2 diabetes mellitus in all age categories in The Netherlands.


METHODS
Prospective population-based study between 1998 and 2000 in The Netherlands. Baseline population of 155,774 patients, registered with 61 general practitioners participating in the Zwolle Outpatient Diabetes project Integrating Available Care (ZODIAC)-study.


RESULTS
Age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of type 2 diabetes was 2.2% at baseline and 2.9% after 2 years of follow-up; for women and men it was 3.1 and 2.7% at follow-up, respectively. Patients aged >70 years account for almost 50% of all type 2 diabetes patients. Age- and sex-adjusted mean annual incidence per 10,000 over 3 years was 22.7 overall; for women 23.1 and for men 22.2. Incidence--even though high--decreases after the age of 70 years. The mortality rate was 47.9/1000 and standardised mortality ratio 1.40. Based on these results, the estimated total number of subjects known with type 2 diabetes was 466,000 for The Netherlands in 2000; the number of patients with newly diagnosed diabetes 36,000.


CONCLUSIONS
Prevalence and incidence rates exceed all estimates regarding known type 2 diabetes for The Netherlands. Elderly patients, aged 70 years and over, account for 50% of the type 2 diabetic population. These results are important for health-care planning.
Ubink-Veltmaat
L J
LJ
Department of Family Practice, University of Groningen, Groningen. l.j.veltmaat@isala.nl
Bilo
H J G
HJ
Groenier
K H
KH
Houweling
S T
ST
Rischen
R O
RO
Meyboom-de Jong
B
B
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007223:Infant; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009426:Netherlands / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D015995:Prevalence; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012042:Registries; D017678:Sex Distribution