Diabetes Metab J.  2019 Aug;43(4):487-494. 10.4093/dmj.2019.0067.

Diabetes Fact Sheets in Korea, 2018: An Appraisal of Current Status

• Kim BY
• Won JC
• Lee JH
• Kim HS
• Park JH
• Ha KH
• Won KC
• Kim DJ
• Park KS

• KMID: 2455671
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4093/dmj.2019.0067

Abstract

BACKGROUND
The objective of this study was to investigate the prevalence, management, and comorbidities of diabetes among Korean adults aged 30 years and older.
METHODS
This study used 2013 to 2016 data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a nationally-representative survey of the Korean population. Diabetes was defined as fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL, current use of antidiabetic medication, a previous history of diabetes, or glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) ≥6.5%.
RESULTS
In 2016, 14.4% (approximately 5.02 million) of Korean adults had diabetes. The prevalence of impaired fasting glucose was 25.3% (8.71 million). From 2013 to 2016, the awareness, control, and treatment rates for diabetes were 62.6%, 56.7%, and 25.1%, respectively. People with diabetes had the following comorbidities: obesity (50.4%), abdominal obesity (47.8%), hypertension (55.3%), and hypercholesterolemia (34.9%). The 25.1%, 68.4%, and 44.2% of people with diabetes achieved HbA1c <6.5%, blood pressure <140/85 mm Hg, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol <100 mg/dL. Only 8.4% of people with diabetes had good control of all three targets.
CONCLUSION
This study confirms that diabetes is as an important public health problem. Efforts should be made to increase awareness, detection, and comprehensive management of diabetes to reduce diabetes-related morbidity and mortality.

Keyword

Comorbidity; Diabetes mellitus; Hypercholesterolemia; Hypertension; Nutrition surveys; Obesity; Prevalence; Public health; Republic of Korea

MeSH Terms

Adult
Blood Pressure
Cholesterol, LDL
Comorbidity
Diabetes Mellitus
Fasting
Glucose
Hemoglobin A, Glycosylated
Humans
Hypercholesterolemia
Hypertension
Korea*
Mortality
Nutrition Surveys
Obesity
Obesity, Abdominal
Prevalence
Public Health
Republic of Korea
Cholesterol, LDL
Glucose

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Estimated prevalence of adults (≥30 years old) with (A) diabetes and (B) impaired fasting glucose (household income: from the lowest to the highest quintiles [Q]).

• 

  Fig. 2 Management of (A) diabetes and (B) type of treatment (awareness rate: rate of people diagnosed with diabetes by a doctor among people with diabetes [%]; treatment rate: rate of people treated with oral hypoglycemic agents, and/or insulin therapy among people with diabetes [%]; control rate: rate of people of glycosylated hemoglobin <6.5% among people with diabetes).

• 

  Fig. 3 Glycemic control rate in diabetes. HbA1c, glycosylated hemoglobin.

• 

  Fig. 4 Estimated prevalence of comorbidities in diabetes (obesity: body mass index [kg/m2] ≥25.0; abdominal obesity: men ≥90 cm, women ≥85 cm; hypertension: systolic blood pressure ≥140 mm Hg or diastolic blood pressure ≥90 mm Hg and/or antihypertensive medications; hypercholesterolemia: total cholesterol ≥240 mg/dL and/or lipid-lowering medications).

• 

  Fig. 5 Control rate of comorbidities and estimated proportion for health behaviors in diabetes (current smoking: smoked at least five packs of cigarettes [100 cigarettes] during lifetime; high-risk drinking: more than seven glasses in men or five glasses in women on the same occasion on each of 2 or more a week; regular walking exercise: 5 days or more per week and for 30 minutes or more per activity). HbA1c, glycosylated hemoglobin; BP, blood pressure; LDL-C, low density lipoprotein cholesterol; ABC, glycosylated hemoglobin, blood pressure, and low density lipoprotein cholesterol.

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