The Relationship between Diabetes Mellitus and Body Mass Index: Primary Care Facility in Puerto Rico
Chavier-Roper, R.G.; Alick-Ortiz, S.; Davila-Plaza, G.; Morales-Quiñones, A.G.
Boletin de la Asociacion Medica de Puerto Rico 106(4): 17-21
2014
ISSN/ISBN: 0004-4849 PMID: 26148393 Document Number: 702731
Obesity is a major risk factor in the development of Diabetes Mellitus (DM). Body Mass Index (BMI), an estimation based on the persons weight and height, helps identify patients at risk to develop DM. We report the relationship between DM and BMI using data from a primary care facility in Puerto Rico. Patients were chosen at random with the only requirement to be included in this study was age over 50. A population of 200 patients was obtained and each participant was categorized by gender, weight, height, BMI and their status as a known diabetic or not. In respect to the diabetic population identified, which totaled 67 patients, 1 out of 67 (1%) were underweight, 14 out of 67 (20%) were normal, 28 out of 67 (42%) were overweight, and 24 out of 67 (36%) obese. 78% of the diabetic population fell in the categories of either overweight or obese. BMI increases the incidence of Diabetes Mellitus in patients older than 50 years of age.