Mobility limitation among persons aged > or =40 years with and without diagnosed diabetes and lower extremity disease--United States, 1999-2002.

Diabetes increases the risk for mobility limitation, especially among older persons. Lower extremity disease (LED), which includes peripheral arterial disease (PAD) and peripheral neuropathy (PN), also increases the risk for mobility limitation. To assess the prevalence of mobility limitation among persons with diagnosed diabetes, persons with LED, and persons with both or neither condition, CDC analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2002 for adults aged > or =40 years. This report summarizes the preliminary findings, which indicated that the national prevalence of mobility limitation is higher among persons with either diagnosed diabetes or LED than those without the conditions, and that adults with both conditions have a higher prevalence of mobility limitation than those with either condition alone. Monitoring the prevalence of diabetes, LED, and associated risk factors and identifying effective LED prevention strategies will help reduce the burden of mobility limitation in the United States.