OBJECTIVE: Study the diabetes prevalence on children because, in Tunisia there are not any available data concerning the epidemiological profile of diabetes in the population aged less than 19 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We undertook an epidemiological survey on a representative sample of 1,569 pupils from Sousse in Tunisia aged between 13 and 19 years with a global answer rate of 95.4%. Fasting blood glucose was measured by the glucose oxidase method. RESULTS: The main results showed that prevalences of the moderate hyperglycaemia on an empty stomach (2%) and of the mellitus diabetes (0.4%) did not reveal any significant statistical difference between girls and boys. The moderate hyperglycaemia prevalence varied according to the existence of other cardiovascular risk factors such as hypercholesterolemia (3.3%), arterial hypertension (2.1%) and overweight (3.4%). CONCLUSION: Our survey has provided a first evaluation related to a population of youngsters on the diabetes prevalence and other cardiovascular risk factors. This would help to sensitise health authorities on the importance of primary prevention and its setting in health clubs at schools.
OBJECTIVE: Study the diabetes prevalence on children because, in Tunisia there are not any available data concerning the epidemiological profile of diabetes in the population aged less than 19 years. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We undertook an epidemiological survey on a representative sample of 1,569 pupils from Sousse in Tunisia aged between 13 and 19 years with a global answer rate of 95.4%. Fasting blood glucose was measured by the glucose oxidase method. RESULTS: The main results showed that prevalences of the moderate hyperglycaemia on an empty stomach (2%) and of the mellitus diabetes (0.4%) did not reveal any significant statistical difference between girls and boys. The moderate hyperglycaemia prevalence varied according to the existence of other cardiovascular risk factors such as hypercholesterolemia (3.3%), arterial hypertension (2.1%) and overweight (3.4%). CONCLUSION: Our survey has provided a first evaluation related to a population of youngsters on the diabetes prevalence and other cardiovascular risk factors. This would help to sensitise health authorities on the importance of primary prevention and its setting in health clubs at schools.