Endocrine Abstracts

JOINT2133

Obesity and overweight (BMI >25 kg/m²), affecting all age groups, are considered major risk factor for the onset of diabetes/prediabetes outside of pregnancy and for hyperglycemia during pregnancy.

Aim: To investigate the relationship between BMI >25 kg/m² in the young reproductive age group (20–44 years) and the development of diabetes/prediabetes.

Materials and Methods: A total of 931 individuals (20–79 years) were studied, divided into three age groups: 20–44 years (n-340, 36.5%), 45–59 years (n-300, 32.2%), and 60–79 years (n-291, 31.3%). The analysis focused on 340 individuals from the reproductive age group (20–44 years), consisting of 158 women (46.5%) and 182 men (53.5%). Height and weight were measured, and BMI was calculated.

Results: The current diabetes prevalence in Bulgaria is 16.55%, distributed across the age groups as follows: 4.1% (14/342) in 20–44 years, 18.3% (55/301) in 45–59 years, and 29.55% (86/291) in 60–79 years. In the young group, BMI >25 kg/m² was observed in 56.2% (191/340), distributed between women (30.4%, 58/191) and men (69.6%, 133/191), with a significant gender difference (P<0.001). Among this group, diabetes was present in 4.1% (14/340), prediabetes in 10.3% (35/340), and no carbohydrate metabolism disorders in the remaining 85.6% (291/340). In this young group obesity was identified in 57.1% (8/14)* of individuals with diabetes, 45.7% (16/35) of those with prediabetes, and 19.9% (58/291)* of individuals without carbohydrate metabolism disorders (*P<0.05). In our earlier study on pregnant Bulgarian women, hyperglycemia was identified in 14.4% (79/547), with 7.5% (29/386) occurring before 24 gestational weeks and 31% (50/161) after 24 gestational weeks (P<0.01)¹. A significant relationship with pre-pregnancy weight was also observed: women with hyperglycemia (n-79) had an average BMI of 26.10±6.65 kg/m² compared to 22.89±4.57 kg/m² in those with normoglycemia (P<0.001).

Conclusion: Over 56% of individuals in the young reproductive age group (20-44 y) have a BMI >25 kg/m², a strong risk factor for the development of diabetes/prediabetes and a risk factor for hyperglycemia during pregnancy. Upon the onset of pregnancy, screening for glucose tolerance disorders is essential, particularly in women with obesity or overweight at the time of conception.