Decline in incidence of epidemic glucose intolerance in Nauruans: implications for the "thrifty genotype".

Abstract

Trends in the prevalence and incidence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and impaired glucose tolerance were studied in Micronesian Nauruans aged 20 years and above, by linking glucose tolerance data collected during population surveys performed in 1975/1976, 1982, and 1987. Based on World Health Organization criteria, the age-standardized prevalence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus has remained relatively constant (24.0% in 1987), but the prevalence of impaired glucose tolerance has decreased significantly from 21.1% (95% confidence interval (CI) 17.0-25.3) in 1975/1976 to 8.7% (95% CI 7.1-10.3) in 1987. Between the periods 1975/1976-1982 and 1982-1987, the incidence of p..