State of Diabetes, Hypertension, and Comorbidity in Kuwait: Showcasing the Trends as Seen in Native Versus Expatriate Populations

The global epidemic of diabetes and related disorders has not spared the states of Gulf Cooperation Council, particularly Kuwait (1,2). Socioeconomic changes in the post-oil era have promoted a sedentary lifestyle and an intake of high-calorie food. Expatriates, who form the workforce, constitute two-thirds of the Kuwait population; migrants are at greater risk of developing diabetes (3). We undertook a retrospective cohort study using nationwide data from the Kuwait Health Network, which integrates records from primary health clinics and hospitals. The dataset, after quality control, includes 270,172 participants comprising natives and expatriates. Crude prevalence of type 1 diabetes is 2.8% among expatriates and 2.3% among natives (age-group 0–20 years). Asian expatriates (age-group 30–60 years) exhibit higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes (and hypertension) at 33.25% (and 37%) than natives at 25.4% (and 28%). Prevalence of coexistence of diabetes and hypertension is 11%, irrespective of ethnicities. Prevalence increases with advancing …