Association Between Obesity And Type Ii Diabetes Mellitus In The D.I.Khan Region: A Case-Control Study
Keywords:
Obesity, Type II Diabetes Mellitus, Body Mass Index (BMI), Epidemiology.Abstract
Background: Type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and obesity are an increasing global epidemic of public health, and the rate of its occurrence is disproportionately high in Asia. The number of cases of T2DM due to obesity is still underreported in Pakistani underserved areas, one of which is D.I. Khan.
Research Question: The aim of the research was to determine the prevalence of T2DM among obese people in the D.I. Khan area and to establish the linkage between T2DM and body mass index (BMI).
Methods: A case-control study was carried out in a period of two weeks and involved 60 participants between the ages of 40 and 70 years who were recruited within DHQ Hospital, Misbah International Hospital, and Dera Lab. The case group included 60 participants who had T2DM due to fasting blood glucose level ≥ 126mg/dl or random blood glucose level ≥ 200mg/dl and BMI ≥28 kg/ m 2, which aligns with WHO-recommended obesity levels among Asian populations. The relationship between T2DM and BMI was assessed using the Pearson correlation coefficient.
Findings: It was found that there is an apparent dose-response relationship between T2DM proportion and BMI: 61% in the BMI 28-30 kg/m 2 category, 75% in the BMI 31-35 kg/m 2 category, and 100% in the BMI 36-40 kg/m 2 category in the study group. Pearson correlation analysis showed that there was a significant positive relationship between obesity and T2DM (r = 0.687, p = 0.0001), and it was found to be significant at 5% level.
Conclusion: The research confirms that there exists a strong positive correlation between obesity and T2DM in the D.I. Khan area, with the proportion of T2DM rising steadily with the increased BMI groups. The results indicate the need for an urgent necessity for specific public health interventions among this underserved population, including community-based lifestyle modification, primary screening among high-risk individuals, and healthcare infrastructure to address diabetes prevention and treatment.
