G-4039

Assessment of Diabetes Risk Based on the American Diabetes Association Survey Among Students at Golestan University of Medical Sciences

 Kosar Bayat ¹ ℗, Mohila Shayestegan ², Fatemeh Mehravar ³ ©   

 
Abstract

Introduction: Type 2 diabetes is one of the most important non-communicable diseases with an increasing prevalence worldwide, significantly affecting the young population, especially in developing countries. Since student life is usually accompanied by lifestyle changes, unhealthy diet, reduced physical activity, and academic stress, the student population is considered a high-risk group for diabetes. This study aimed to assess the risk of developing type 2 diabetes among students at Golestan University of Medical Sciences using the American Diabetes Association (ADA) risk assessment questionnaire. Methods and Materials: This descriptive-analytical study was conducted in 2024. The study population included 336 randomly selected students from Golestan University of Medical Sciences. Data were collected using the standard ADA Diabetes Risk Test. The questionnaire included demographic information such as age, gender, marital status, academic degree, field of study, tobacco and alcohol use, place of residence, etc. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 26. Appropriate statistical tests were used to examine the relationship between variables and the risk of diabetes. Results: The mean age of the participants was 22.63 ± 4.07 years, with the majority being female (67%). Approximately 94.9% were in the low-risk group, 1.8% in the moderate-risk group, and 3.3% in the high-risk group. Statistical analysis showed no significant relationship between gender, marital status, and smoking with the risk of diabetes (P0.05). However, field of study, academic level, alcohol consumption, and place of residence were significantly associated with diabetes risk (P0.05). A notable percentage of participants were in the moderate to high-risk categories. Conclusion and Discussion: The findings of this study indicate that although factors such as gender, marital status, and smoking were not significantly associated with diabetes risk, certain lifestyle and academic-related variables, including field of study, academic level, alcohol consumption, and place of residence, may influence diabetes risk among students. These results emphasize the need for screening programs, healthy lifestyle education, and preventive interventions in university environments. Future studies with larger sample sizes and more rigorous methodologies are recommended.

Keywords: Diabetes, American Diabetes Risk Assessment Tool, Medical Students