Endocrine Abstracts

‘Diabesity’ is the term for diabetes occurring in the context of obesity. Obesity is a cardiovascular major risk factor. The National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATPIII) report designated diabetes as a coronary heart disease equivalent. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in women. The ‘Estudio Epidemiologico de la Mujer’ (EEM) study aimed to explore obesity, diabetes and diabesity in 3500 women over 18 years old. EEM is a cross-sectional epidemiological and multidisciplinary study in seventy consulting rooms of gynecology from twenty two Venezuelan provinces. Hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and metabolic syndrome defined according to NCEP-ATPIII, were surveyed among other cardiovascular risk factors. Cardiologists, gynecologists and endocrinologists participated as investigators in this study. We present the results of 10% of the sample collected to date. Mean (S.D.) age of the participants was 42.25 (13.41) years The prevalence of Obesity and Diabetes was 23.55% (95% CI: 19.64–27.45) and 3.94% (95% CI: 1.92–5.97) respectively. Diabetes was present in 7.14% of obese women. Obesity was detected in 42.86% of diabetic women. Patients with ‘Diabesity’ had higher prevalence of hypertension (83.3%, P 0.017), hypercholesterolemia (66.7%, P: 0.032) and metabolic syndrome (83.3%, P: 0.000). The prevalence of ‘Diabesity’ and its components was substantial across Venezuelan women. EEM study findings, including evidence of the association of ‘Diabesity’ with hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and metabolic syndrome, should inform appropriate clinical and public health interventions.