Nasheeta Peer

Rising diabetes prevalence among urban-dwelling black South Africans.

Objective To examine the prevalence of and the association of psychosocial risk factors with diabetes in 25–74-year-old black Africans in Cape Town in 2008/09 and to compare the prevalence with a 1990 study. Research Design and Methods A randomly selected cross-sectional sample had oral glucose tolerance tests. The prevalence of diabetes (1998 WHO criteria), other cardiovascular risk factors and psychosocial measures, including sense of coherence (SOC), locus of control and adverse life events, were determined. The comparison of diabetes prevalence between this and a 1990 study used the 1985 WHO diabetes criteria. Results There were 1099 participants, 392 men and 707 women (response rate 86%). The age-standardised (SEGI) prevalence of diabetes was 13.1% (95% confidence interval (CI) 11.0–15.1), impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) 11.2% (9.2–13.1) and impaired fasting glycaemia 1.2% (0.6–1.9). Diabetes prevalence peaked in 65–74-year-olds (38.6%). Among diabetic participants, 57.9% were known and 38.6% treated. Using 1985 WHO criteria, age-standardised diabetes prevalence was higher by 53% in 2008/09 (12.2% (10.2–14.2)) compared to 1990 (8.0% (5.8–10.3)) and IGT by 67% (2008/09: 11.7% (9.8–13.7); 1990: 7.0% (4.9–9.1)). In women, older age (OR: 1.05, 95%CI: 1.03–1.08, p<0.001), diabetes family history (OR: 3.13, 95%CI: 1.92–5.12, p<0.001), higher BMI (OR: 1.44, 95%CI: 1.20–1.82, p = 0.001), better quality housing (OR: 2.08, 95%CI: 1.01–3.04, p = 0.047) and a lower SOC score (≤40) was positively associated with diabetes (OR: 2.57, 95%CI: 1.37–4.80, p = 0.003). Diabetes was not associated with the other psychosocial measures in women or with any psychosocial measure in men. Only older age (OR: 1.05, 95%CI: 1.02–1.08, p = 0.002) and higher BMI (OR: 1.10, 95%CI: 1.04–1.18, p = 0.003) were significantly associated with diabetes in men. Conclusions The current high prevalence of diabetes in urban-dwelling South Africans, and the likelihood of further rises given the high rates of IGT and obesity, is concerning. Multi-facetted diabetes prevention strategies are essential to address this burden.

Diabetes in the Africa region: An update

The Africa Region (AFR), where diabetes was once rare, has witnessed a surge in the condition. Estimates for type 1 diabetes suggest that about 39,000 people suffer from the disease in 2013 with 6.4 new cases occurring per year per 100,000 people in children <14 years old. Type 2 diabetes prevalence among 20-79-year-olds is 4.9% with the majority of people with diabetes <60 years old; the highest proportion (43.2%) is in those aged 40-59 years. Figures are projected to increase with the numbers rising from 19.8 million in 2013 to 41.5 million in 2035, representing a 110% absolute increase. There is an apparent increase in diabetes prevalence with economic development in AFR with rates of 4.4% in low-income, 5.0% in lower-middle income and 7.0% in upper-middle income countries. In addition to development and increases in life-expectancy, the likely progression of people at high risk for the development of type 2 diabetes will drive the expected rise of the disease. This includes those with impaired glucose tolerance, the prevalence of which is 7.3% among 20-79-year-olds in 2013. Mortality attributable to diabetes in 2013 in AFR is expected to be over half a million with three-quarter of these deaths occurring in those <60 years old. The prevalence of undiagnosed diabetes remains unacceptably high at 50.7% and is much higher in low income (75.1%) compared to lower- and upper-middle income AFR countries (46.0%). This highlights the inadequate response of local health systems which need to provide accessible, affordable and optimal care for diabetes.

Trends in adult tobacco use from two South African Demographic and Health Surveys conducted in 1998 and 2003.

INTRODUCTION Since peaking in the early 1990s in South Africa, tobacco use has declined significantly. The reduction has been attributed to the governments comprehensive tobacco control policies that were introduced at the time. OBJECTIVE To assess the pattern of tobacco use in the South African Demographic and Health Surveys of 1998 and 2003. METHODS Multi-stage sampling was used to select approximately 11 000 households in cross-sectional national surveys. Face-to-face interviews, conducted with 13 826 adults (41% men) aged > or = 15 years in 1998, and 8 115 (42% men) in 2003, included questions on tobacco use according to the WHO STEP-wise surveillance programme. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the independent effects of selected characteristics on smoking prevalence. RESULTS Daily or occasional smoking prevalence among women remained unchanged at 10 - 11%; it decreased among men from 42% (1998) to 35% (2003). The decline for men was significant among the poorest and those aged 25 - 44 years. Strong age patterns were observed, peaking at 35 - 44 years, which was reduced among men in 2003. Higher income and education were associated with low prevalence of smoking, while living in urban areas was associated with higher rates. Black men and women smoked significantly less than other population groups. CONCLUSION Despite decreased smoking rates in some subgroups, a lapse exists in the efforts to reduce tobacco use, as smoking rates have remained unchanged among women, and also among young adults aged 15 - 24 years.

A food-based dietary strategy lowers blood pressure in a low socio-economic setting: a randomised study in South Africa

OBJECTIVE To assess the impact of a food-based intervention on blood pressure (BP) in free-living South African men and women aged 50-75 years, with drug-treated mild-to-moderate hypertension. METHODS A double-blind controlled trial was undertaken in eighty drug-treated mild-to-moderate hypertensive subjects randomised to an intervention (n 40) or control (n 40) arm. The intervention was 8-week provision of six food items with a modified cation content (salt replacement (SOLO ), bread, margarine, stock cubes, soup mix and a flavour enhancer) and 500 ml of maas (fermented milk)/d. The control diet provided the same quantities of the targeted foods but of standard commercial composition and 500 ml/d of artificially sweetened cooldrink. FINDINGS The intervention effect estimated as the contrast of the within-diet group changes in BP from baseline to post-intervention was a significant reduction of 6.2 mmHg (95 % CI 0.9, 11.4) for systolic BP. The largest intervention effect in 24 h BP was for wake systolic BP with a reduction of 5.1 mmHg (95 % CI 0.4, 9.9). For wake diastolic BP the reduction was 2.7 mmHg (95 % CI -0.2, 5.6). CONCLUSIONS Modification of the cation content of a limited number of commonly consumed foods lowers BP by a clinically significant magnitude in treated South African hypertensive patients of low socio-economic status. The magnitude of BP reduction provides motivation for a public health strategy that could be adopted through lobbying of the food industry by consumer and health agencies.

Urban—rural and gender differences in tobacco and alcohol use, diet and physical activity among young black South Africans between 1998 and 2003

Background : Non-communicable chronic diseases (NCDs) have increased in South Africa over the past 15 years. While these usually manifest during mid-to-late adulthood, the development of modifiable risk factors that contribute to NCDs are usually adopted early in life. Objective : To describe the urban–rural and gender patterns of NCD risk factors in black adolescents and young adults (15- to 24-year-olds) from two South African Demographic and Health Surveys conducted 5 years apart. Design : An observational study based on interviews and measurements from two cross-sectional national household surveys. Changes in tobacco and alcohol use, dietary intake, physical inactivity, and overweight/ obesity among 15- to 24-year-olds as well as urban–rural and gender differences were analysed using logistic regression. The ‘Surveyset’ option in Stata statistical software was used to allow for the sampling weight in the analysis. Results : Data from 3,186 and 2,066 black 15- to 24-year-old participants in 1998 and 2003, respectively, were analysed. In males, the prevalence of smoking (1998: 21.6%, 2003: 19.1%) and problem drinking (1998: 17.2%, 2003: 15.2%) were high and increased with age, but in females were much lower (smoking – 1998: 1.0%, 2003: 2.1%; problem drinking – 1998: 4.2%, 2003: 5.8%). The predominant risk factors in females were overweight/obesity (1998: 29.9%, 2003: 31.1%) and physical inactivity (2003: 46%). Urban youth, compared to their rural counterparts, were more likely to smoke (odds ratio (OR): 1.39, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.09–1.75), have high salt intake (OR: 1.75, 95% CI: 1.12–2.78), be overweight/obese (OR: 1.39, 95% CI: 1.14–1.69), or be physically inactive (OR: 1.45, 95% CI: 1.12–1.89). However, they had lower odds of inadequate micronutrient intake (OR: 0.46, 95% CI 0.34–0.62), and there was no overall significant urban– rural difference in the odds for problem drinking but among females the odds were higher in urban compared to rural females. Conclusion : Considering that the prevalence of modifiable NCD risk factors was high in this population, and that these may persist into adulthood, innovative measures are required to prevent the uptake of unhealthy behaviours, and regular surveillance is needed.

A High Burden of Hypertension in the Urban Black Population of Cape Town: The Cardiovascular Risk in Black South Africans (CRIBSA) Study

Objective To determine the prevalence, associations and management of hypertension in the 25–74-year-old urban black population of Cape Town and examine the change between 1990 and 2008/09 in 25–64-year-olds. Methods In 2008/09, a representative cross-sectional sample, stratified for age and sex, was randomly selected from the same townships sampled in 1990. Cardiovascular disease risk factors were determined by administered questionnaires, clinical measurements and fasting biochemical analyses. Logistic regression models evaluated the associations with hypertension. Results There were 1099 participants, 392 men and 707 women (response rate 86%) in 2008/09. Age-standardised hypertension prevalence was 38.9% (95% confidence interval (CI): 35.6–42.3) with similar rates in men and women. Among 25–64-year-olds, hypertension prevalence was significantly higher in 2008/09 (35.6%, 95% CI: 32.3–39.0) than in 1990 (21.6%, 95% CI: 18.6–24.9). In 2008/09, hypertension odds increased with older age, family history of hypertension, higher body mass index, problematic alcohol intake, physical inactivity and urbanisation. Among hypertensive participants, significantly more women than men were detected (69.5% vs. 32.7%), treated (55.7% vs. 21.9%) and controlled (32.4% vs. 10.4%) in 2008/09. There were minimal changes from 1990 except for improved control in 25–64-year-old women (1990∶14.1% vs. 2008/09∶31.5%). Conclusions The high and rising hypertension burden in this population, its association with modifiable risk factors and the sub-optimal care provided highlight the urgent need to prioritise hypertension management. Innovative solutions with efficient and cost-effective healthcare delivery as well as population-based strategies are required.

Variations in Diabetes Prevalence in Low-, Middle-, and High-Income Countries: Results From the Prospective Urban and Rural Epidemiological Study

OBJECTIVE The goal of this study was to assess whether diabetes prevalence varies by countries at different economic levels and whether this can be explained by known risk factors. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS The prevalence of diabetes, defined as self-reported or fasting glycemia ≥7 mmol/L, was documented in 119,666 adults from three high-income (HIC), seven upper-middle-income (UMIC), four lower-middle-income (LMIC), and four low-income (LIC) countries. Relationships between diabetes and its risk factors within these country groupings were assessed using multivariable analyses. RESULTS Age- and sex-adjusted diabetes prevalences were highest in the poorer countries and lowest in the wealthiest countries (LIC 12.3%, UMIC 11.1%, LMIC 8.7%, and HIC 6.6%; P < 0.0001). In the overall population, diabetes risk was higher with a 5-year increase in age (odds ratio 1.29 [95% CI 1.28–1.31]), male sex (1.19 [1.13–1.25]), urban residency (1.24 [1.11–1.38]), low versus high education level (1.10 [1.02–1.19]), low versus high physical activity (1.28 [1.20–1.38]), family history of diabetes (3.15 [3.00–3.31]), higher waist-to-hip ratio (highest vs. lowest quartile; 3.63 [3.33–3.96]), and BMI (≥35 vs. <25 kg/m2; 2.76 [2.52–3.03]). The relationship between diabetes prevalence and both BMI and family history of diabetes differed in higher- versus lower-income country groups (P for interaction < 0.0001). After adjustment for all risk factors and ethnicity, diabetes prevalences continued to show a gradient (LIC 14.0%, LMIC 10.1%, UMIC 10.9%, and HIC 5.6%). CONCLUSIONS Conventional risk factors do not fully account for the higher prevalence of diabetes in LIC countries. These findings suggest that other factors are responsible for the higher prevalence of diabetes in LIC countries.

A Meta-Analysis of the Metabolic Syndrome Prevalence in the Global HIV-Infected Population

Background Cardio-metabolic risk factors are of increasing concern in HIV-infected individuals, particularly with the advent of antiretroviral therapy (ART) and the subsequent rise in longevity. However, the prevalence of cardio-metabolic abnormalities in this population and the differential contribution, if any, of HIV specific factors to their distribution, are poorly understood. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta-analysis to estimate the global prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) in HIV-infected populations, its variation by the different diagnostic criteria, severity of HIV infection, ART used and other major predictive characteristics. Methods We performed a comprehensive search on major databases for original research articles published between 1998 and 2015. The pooled overall prevalence as well as by specific groups and subgroups were computed using random effects models. Results A total of 65 studies across five continents comprising 55094 HIV-infected participants aged 17–73 years (median age 41 years) were included in the final meta-analysis. The overall prevalence of MS according to the following criteria were: ATPIII-2001:16.7% (95%CI: 14.6–18.8), IDF-2005: 18% (95%CI: 14.0–22.4), ATPIII-2004-2005: 24.6% (95%CI: 20.6–28.8), Modified ATPIII-2005: 27.9% (95%CI: 6.7–56.5), JIS-2009: 29.6% (95%CI: 22.9–36.8), and EGIR: 31.3% (95%CI: 26.8–36.0). By some MS criteria, the prevalence was significantly higher in women than in men (IDF-2005: 23.2% vs. 13.4, p = 0.030), in ART compared to non-ART users (ATPIII-2001: 18.4% vs. 11.8%, p = 0.001), and varied significantly by participant age, duration of HIV diagnosis, severity of infection, non-nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitors (NNRTIs) use and date of study publication. Across criteria, there were significant differences in MS prevalence by sub-groups such as in men, the Americas, older publications, regional studies, younger adults, smokers, ART-naïve participants, NNRTIs users, participants with shorter duration of diagnosed infection and across the spectrum of HIV severity. Substantial heterogeneities across and within criteria were not fully explained by major study characteristics, while evidence of publication bias was marginal. Conclusions The similar range of MS prevalence in the HIV-infected and general populations highlights the common drivers of this condition. Thus, cardio-metabolic assessments need to be routinely included in the holistic management of the HIV-infected individual. Management strategies recommended for MS in the general population will likely provide similar benefits in the HIV-infected.

High prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the Black population of Cape Town: The Cardiovascular Risk in Black South Africans (CRIBSA) study.

Aims To determine the metabolic syndrome prevalence by the 2009 harmonised criteria in 25–74-year-old urban Africans in Cape Town. Methods In 2008/2009, a representative cross-sectional sample, stratified by age and gender, was randomly selected. Cardiovascular risk factors were determined with questionnaires, clinical measurements and biochemical analyses, including fasting blood samples. Logistic regression analysis assessed the independent effects of socio-demographic variables on metabolic syndrome. Results There were 1099 participants, 392 of whom were men and 707 women (response rate 86%). Crude and age-standardised (SEGI) prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 30.7% (95% confidence interval (CI): 27.4–34.1) and 31.7% (95% CI: 28.4–35.3), respectively, with higher rates among women (43.5%, 95% CI: 39.2–47.9 and 44.9%, 95% CI: 40.5–49.3) than men (16.5%, 95% CI: 12.7–21.2 and 17.3%, 95% CI: 13.4–21.9) (p < 0.001). Overall, metabolic syndrome components that were higher in women compared with men were central obesity (86.0% vs. 20.1%) and low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (75.0% vs. 33.4%) while in men, raised blood pressure (51.4%) was the most frequent. In the multiple logistic models, higher age (55–64 years (peak age) versus 25–34 years: odds ratio (OR): 7.35, 95% CI: 3.27–16.56, p < 0.001) and wealth (highest versus lowest tertile: OR: 1.87, 95% CI: 1.14–3.08, p = 0.014) in women, and higher age (p = 0.002) and employment compared with unemployment (OR: 3.01, 95% CI: 1.18–7.67, p = 0.021) in men were significantly associated with metabolic syndrome. Conclusions The high metabolic syndrome prevalence underscores the frequent clustering of cardiovascular risk factors, the need to determine other risk factors, if a single risk factor is present, and the need for comprehensive integrated approaches to tackle cardiovascular disease.

Differential obesity indices identify the metabolic syndrome in Black men and women in Cape Town: the CRIBSA study

AIMS To determine the obesity indices, specifically waist circumference (WC), that identified ≥2 other metabolic syndrome (MS) components (2009 criteria) in 25- to 74-year-old Africans in Cape Town. METHODS Data were collected from a cross-sectional sample by administered questionnaires, clinical measurements and biochemical analyses. The obesity cut points were estimated by the Youden Index. Logistic regression analyses determined whether obesity cut points identifying ≥2 MS components occurred at true inflection points. RESULTS Among the 1099 participants, the calculated cut points and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were: men, WC 83.9 cm (81.6-86.2), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) 0.89 (0.87-0.90), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) 0.50 (0.48-0.52) and body mass index (BMI) 24.1 kg/m(2) (22.0-26.1); women, WC 94.0 cm (92.6-95.3), WHR 0.85 (0.83-0.87), WHtR 0.59 (0.57-0.60) and BMI 32.1 kg/m(2) (29.7-34.6). Raised WC was significantly associated with ≥2 MS components in men: WC 84.0-93.9 cm (odds ratio (OR): 3.19, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.73-5.85) and WC ≥94.0 cm (OR: 8.50, 95% CI: 4.44-16.25) compared with WC <84.0 cm, and in women: WC 80.0-93.9 cm (OR: 2.93, 95% CI: 1.32-6.54) and WC ≥94.0 cm (OR: 5.33, 95% CI: 2.40-11.85) compared with WC <80.0 cm. In the logistic model with BMI for women, obesity (OR: 3.60, 95% CI: 1.82-7.10) but not overweight (P = 0.063) was significantly associated with ≥2 MS components. CONCLUSIONS Obesity cut points for Africans should be re-evaluated and adjusted accordingly.