Predictive Role of Anthropometric Parameters in Diagnosing Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus among Young Adults in Rivers State, Nigeria
Résumé
Diabetes mellitus (DM) is a chronic metabolic disorder characterized by persistent hyperglycemia, posing a significant global public health challenge due to its association with increased morbidity and mortality. Early detection of risk factors is crucial in preventing disease onset and anthropometric parameters, such as body mass index (BMI), provide simple, non-invasive, and cost-effective tools for screening. This study evaluated the predictive role of anthropometric parameters, with a focus on BMI, in identifying young adults at risk of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in Rivers State, Nigeria. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among participants aged 18-45 years, drawn from rural (Etche), urban (Port Harcourt), and reference (diagnosed diabetics from the University of Port Harcourt Teaching Hospital) populations. The Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC) and American Diabetes Association Risk Tool (ADART) were used to assess each individual’s risk of developing T2DM. Results revealed a progressive increase in mean BMI from rural (22.4 ± 0.3 kg/m²) to urban (24.1 ± 0.3 kg/m²) and reference (26.3 ± 0.8 kg/m²) populations. The BMI obtained from this study showed a significant positive correlation with both FINDRISC (r = 0.420–0.560) and ADART (r = 0.410–0.490) scores across all groups, with the strongest association in the reference population. Overweight and obesity were more prevalent among urban dwellers and females, particularly in older age groups, suggesting lifestyle and gender-related risk disparities. These findings emphasize BMI’s utility as a preliminary screening tool for diabetes risk stratification in resource-limited settings, while highlighting the need to incorporate additional central obesity measures for improved predictive accuracy. Integrating anthropometric screening into routine health checks could enable timely interventions to reduce the burden of diabetes in young adult populations.