Doctoral thesis
The prevalence of diabetes mellitus is increasing at an alarming rate in most places
of the world. Tanzania is among sub-Saharan African countries with many people
currently living with diabetes mellitus. Despite of that, information about diabetes
and its associated risk factors are still scarce. The main objective of this study was to
determine the prevalence of and risk factors for diabetes mellitus in Dodoma Region.
The study was cross sectional design. Stratified sampling technique, simple random
sampling and Kish Selection Table were used to select participants for the study. A
total of 840 people agreed and participated in the study.
Overall prevalence of DM was found to be 86 (11.8%) with majority of them 61 out
of 86 (70.9%) being unaware of their condition. Unit increase in WC, WHtR,
systolic B. P, triglycerides, age and living in urban areas were associated with the
risk of developing DM. The prevalence of MetS was found to be 22.4% and 32.2%
by using NCEP ATP-III and IDF criteria, respectively. Obesity, reduced HDL
cholesterol and impaired fasting plasma glucose were highly prevalent components
of metabolic syndrome.
The current findings indicate that, there is high prevalence of diabetes and metabolic
syndrome in Dodoma Region. Without appropriate interventions, the region will
likely see an increasing risk of other chronic diseases. This might result into double
burden of diseases due to the existence of chronic malnutrition in the region
However, the presence of modifiable risk factors and high proportion of undiagnosed
diabetes indicates an opportunity for prevention. Therefore, investments in
preventive measures, screening services and increasing health education are highly
needed to reduce the future burden.