The new Hoorn Study: prevalence and determinants of impaired glucose regulation

Background

In 1989 a large study on the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance in the general population of the Netherlands was performed (The Hoorn Study). Results showed that the prevalence of known and newly-detected diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance in the 2484 participants was 3.6%, 4.8% and 10.3% respectively. Age, family history of diabetes and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were the most important determinants of glucose metabolism. Due to various lifestyle changes, the prevalence of diabetes type 2 increased worldwide since 1989. Despite these changes, no large population-studies aimed tot determine the prevalence of impaired glucose regulation and determinants of type 2 diabetes in the Netherlands have been carried out in the last 15 years.