BMI, Physical Activity and Diabetes- A Case Control Study in a Rural Area of Kancheepuram district of Tamil Nadu.

AIMS & OBJECTIVES: To assess the association between physical activity, BMI and diabetes mellitus in a study population. METHODS: A community based case control study to associate BMI, physical activity, and diabetes was conducted in the rural area of Chunampet, Cheyyurtaluk of Kancheepuram district in Tamilnadu, which is under PIMS field practicing area, Rural Health Training Centre under Department of Community Medicine, Pondicherry Institute of Medical Sciences, and Chunampet. Study participants: Adult population aged 35 - 50 years of age. Sample size: 150 cases and 150 controls. Definition of cases: Known diabetics and persons with FBS> 126 mg/dl or PPBS>200mg/dl. Definition of controls: Persons who are not a known a case of Diabetes and with FBS<126 and PPBS<200. Exclusion criteria: Critically ill person and Persons with other co morbidities. Questionnaire: A predesigned and pre-tested questionnaire was used. Details regarding their duration of disease, physical activity are collected by house to house survey. Pulse, blood pressure, height in cms, weight in kgs is recorded. Revised BMI Scale was used to grade overweight and obesity. Intensity of physical activity was graded using British Heart Association grading system. Results: The study was conducted with 150 Diabetics (Cases) and 150 Non-Diabetics (Controls). Among the 150 Diabetics (Cases), 124 were males and 26 females. And, among the 150 Non-Diabetics (Controls), 124 were males and 26 were females. Cases and controls are matched for sex and age (+/- 5 years). No physical activity was positively associated with diabetes (OR= 1.9, CI= 1.3-4.8, p value<0.05). Overweight (OR=1.7, CI=0.8- 2.7, p value<0.05) and obese person (OR=2.9, CI= 1.8-4.1) had higher risk for diabetes. Conclusion: The following factors (sedentary life style, obesity) were found to associated with diabetes mellitus and found to be statistically significant (p<0.05) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]