The prevalence of diabetes among adults aged 40 years and over in Fiji.

AIM: To estimate the prevalence of diabetes among adults aged ≥40 years in Fiji, and determine the demographic characteristics associated with this diagnosis. METHOD: During a population-based survey, participant glycosylated haemoglobin (HbA1c) was determined and physician diagnosis of diabetes self-reported. HbA1c ≥6.5% or claimed previous diagnosis, independent of HbA1c, defined presence of diabetes. Results were extrapolated to the whole population. Predictors of risk for diabetes were investigated using logistic regression models. RESULTS: Of those enumerated, 1381 participated (73.0%). For 1353 with either a history of diabetes or valid HbA1c, prevalence of diabetes was 44.8% (95%CI 42.2-47.5). Adjusting for age and domicile, Indians had significantly higher risk of diabetes than Melanesians among males (OR 2.02, 95%CI 1.37-2.97, p<0.001) and females (OR 1.99, 95%CI 1.44-2.73, p<0.001). Females were at greater risk than males among Melanesians (OR 1.75, 95%CI 1.30-2.36, p<0.001) and Indians (OR 1.94, 95%CI 1.33-2.84, p<0.001). Risk increased with age for both genders and ethnicities, adjusting for ethnicity and domicile, then gender and domicile. The ethnicity-gender-age-domicile adjusted prevalence of diabetes among adults aged ≥40 years in Fiji was 41.0% (95%CI 38.4-43.6): 99,000 people. CONCLUSION: As identified in 1970, diabetes continues to be a substantial population health problem in Fiji.