Risk Factors for Diabetes Mellitus Type 2 in Medical Students

Aim: To determine the risk factors for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in fourth-year medical students at the University of Carabobo during the year 2019.

Methods: descriptive and transversal research. A questionnaire with the study variables was used as an instrument; A Likert-type scale was used to determine the diet of the sample, body mass index was calculated and the academic stress scale was used to assess stress. Finally, capillary blood glucose was estimated. Percentages and Chi² were used for categorical variables and measures of central tendency and dispersion for numerical variables, considering a p value < 0.05 to be significant.

Results: 111 students who agreed to participate were included. It was found that the median age was 21 years and 55% of the sample was made up of female individuals. The most important risk factors for diabetes mellitus were sedentary lifestyle (65.8%), heredity (52.3%), alcohol consumption (52.3%), high stress (50.5%), as well as poor eating habits (consumption of flour, fried foods and fast food).

Conclusions: The medical students examined showed a combination of sedentary lifestyle, heredity, alcohol consumption, high stress, poor eating habits, generally produced by academic work, conditioning a life exposed to chronic non-communicable diseases, such as type 2 Diabetes Mellitus.