Prevalence and Associated Risk Factors of Type 2 Diabetes among Egyptian University Students

Aim: This study is a cross-sectional study that aimed to assess the frequency of type 2 diabetes (T2D) risk variables among Egyptian college students. The Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC), originally used in middle-aged groups, was used in a college (young-aged) student group to identify early risk behaviors. Materials and Methods: We assessed the risk of T2D in 377 college students aged 18 to 22 years old. Inquiries were made about family history, personal history, and lifestyle patterns. Laboratory tests, blood pressure readings, and anthropometric data were also gathered. Results: A total of 61% of participants were female, mean body weight was 71.6 ± 14.4 kg, and mean body mass index was 25 ± 4.5 kg/m 2 . The average FINDRISC for the entire group was 6.5 ± 3.7. Fifty-two percent belonged to the low-risk (LR) group, and 48% to the greater-risk (GR) group. The GR group was further separated into three risk categories: significantly elevated risk (9.8%), highly elevated risk (1.9%), and slightly elevated risk (36.3%). HDL-C, VLDL-C, triglycerides, fasting serum insulin, fasting plasma glucose, and homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) did not differ between the two groups; however, the GR group had significantly greater total cholesterol ( P < 0.01) and LDL-cholesterol ( P < 0.05) than the LR group. The GR group consumed fast food more frequently ( P < 0.05). Social stress was an independent predictor of worsening FINDRISC ( β = −1.04, P < 0.01) and was substantially higher in GR compared to LR ( P < 0.05). Conclusion: The increased risk of T2D in this population is alarming and warrants implementing a diabetes prevention program.