OBJECTIVETo analyze the trend of prevalence and major risk factors for diabetes between 1997 and 2009 in Shenzhen.

METHODSA total sample of 7956 and 8487 residents aged from 20 to 69 years were selected using multi-stage cluster sampling from two cross-sectional chronic diseases survey in Shenzhen in 1997 and 2009 respectively. The variation of prevalence between different age groups (divided into a 5-year age group) were compared. The effect of risk factors was evaluated by population attributable risk percentage (PARP), and time trend of PARP for risk factors were analyzed.

RESULTSCompared with that in 1997, the aged-adjusted prevalence of diabetes has increased from 3.85% (306/7956) to 5.21% (441/8487) in 2009 (χ(2) = 17.54, P < 0.001). The prevalence in age group 50 - 54, 60 - 64, and 65 - 69 years increased significantly from 7.88% (35/444), 8.55% (36/421) and 11.34 (33/291) to 12.09% (59/488), 14.63% (55/376) and 20.71% (70/338) respectively (χ(2) = 4.54, 7.25 and 10.01, P < 0.05). After controlling for age, the rates of abdominal obesity, family history of diabetes, dyslipidemia and hypertension increased from 21.56% (1715/7956), 4.39% (349/7956), 26.34% (2096/7956) and 11.53% (917/7956) to 31.88% (2706/8487), 12.84% (1090/8487), 41.38%(3512/8487) and 14.61% (1240/8487) respectively (χ(2) = 5.52, 14.83, 18.38 and 20.22, P < 0.01). For diabetes, the PARP of aging, dyslipidemia and abdominal obesity were 41.55%, 29.25% and 25.10% respectively.

CONCLUSIONThe prevalence of diabetes in Shenzhen increases rapidly and more patients are found in younger age. The rise of diabetes was mainly attributed to aging and increasing exposures to risk factors.