Efficacy of obesity indices and age in predicting diabetes: study on a transitional tribe of Northeast India.

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the association between blood sugar level and obesity, and the interplay of socioeconomic change, and to investigate the efficacy of different obesity indices and age in predicting diabetes. METHODS Cross-sectional study was carried out among 603 adult Tangkhul Nagas of NE India. Anthropometric measurements, random blood sugar level, general and regional obesity indices were evaluated along with their information on socioeconomic and lifestyle factors. RESULTS Socioeconomic change observed among the Tangkhuls influence the rise of overweight/obesity and blood sugar level. Obesity and elevated blood sugar level were highly prevalent and interrelated. Diabetes and obesity were also found to be associated with age. Central obesity indices were highly associated with blood sugar level. Odds ratio showed the likelihood of developing prediabetes/diabetes among centrally obese participants. Correlation between blood sugar level, age and obesity indices showed that waist hip ratio had the highest correlation with blood sugar. It implies the higher reliability of central obesity than general obesity or age in determining blood sugar level. CONCLUSION The transition of the Tangkhul Naga tribe in terms of socioeconomic and lifestyle factors contributes to the escalating prevalence of overweight/obesity and diabetes. The rising epidemic is not restricted to highly urbanized societies but now has penetrated even to traditional and transitional tribes owing to their changing lifestyle. Different facets of the complex associations between obesity, age, diabetes and socioeconomic change were observed. Central obesity indicator, waist hip ratio emerge as the paramount predictors of prediabetes/diabetes.