Prevalence and management of diabetes in Korean adults: Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys 1998-2005.
OBJECTIVE
This research investigated recent changes in the prevalence and management status of diabetes among Korean adults.


METHODS
The Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES), a nationwide survey examining the general health and nutrition status of the Korean people, was conducted in 1998, 2001, and 2005. Using the first (1998; n = 5,645), second (2001; n = 4,154), and third (2005; n = 4,628) KNHANES datasets, in the present study, we estimated the prevalence of diabetes among Korean adults (aged >or=30 years), the proportions of known cases of diabetes, and the proportions of well-controlled cases of diabetes, as defined by either the American Diabetes Association (A1C <7%) or the International Diabetes Federation guidelines (A1C <6.5%).


RESULTS
In 2005, the prevalence of diabetes was estimated to be 9.1% (approximately 2.58 million people: 10.2% of men and 7.9% of women), including 6.2% with known diabetes and 2.9% with newly diagnosed diabetes. The prevalence of impaired fasting glucose was 17.4% (approximately 4.94 million people). The proportion of known cases of diabetes drastically increased from 23.2% in 1998 to 41.2% in 2001 and 68.0% in 2005 (P < 0.0001). Among known diabetic patients in 2005, 43.5 and 22.9% had A1C levels <7.0 and <6.5%, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
The overall prevalence of diabetes in Korea has not changed significantly between 1998 and 2005. Physician diagnosis and treatment rates of diabetes have significantly improved during this period, but glycemic control was still poorer than that in other developed countries.
Choi
Yong Jun
YJ
Department of Internal Medicine, The Armed Forces Capital Hospital, Sungnam, Republic of Korea.
Kim
Hyeon Chang
HC
Kim
Hee Man
HM
Park
Seok Won
SW
Kim
Jongoh
J
Kim
Dae Jung
DJ
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D048909:Diabetes Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D005260:Female; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000453:epidemiology; D038321:Glycemic Index; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D007723:Korea / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009749:Nutrition Surveys; D015995:Prevalence; D012727:Sex Characteristics; D015996:Survival Rate; D017741:Survivors
D001786:Blood Glucose
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