Trends in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus among Hiroshima atomic bomb survivors.

Mass screening for diabetes mellitus has been conducted on 64,000- 113,000 atomic bomb survivors resident in Hiroshima City since 1961. The trends in the number of diabetes mellitus patients from 1971 to 1992 based on the results of this mass screening and on death certificates are described. The prevalence of diabetes mellitus has shown an increase with age, but it peaked in the 8th decade and declined after the 9th decade. From 1971 to 1992 a 2.7-fold increase in the prevalence of diabetes mellitus was observed in males and a 3.2-fold increase in females. By age, in males the increase was high in those of less than 49 years of age, and in females the increase was predominant in those of 80 years of age and over. In males the prevalence of diabetes mellitus estimates by death certificates was in good agreement with that observed by mass screening, but in females the prevalence observed by death certificates gave a higher value. During a period of two decades, a 2.1-fold increase was observed in males and a 2.0-fold increase in females.