Prevalence and factors associated with dysglycemia among girls in selected boarding secondary schools in Wakiso District, Uganda.

Background: There is limited information on dysglycemia in adolescents in low-income countries. The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence and factors associated with dysglycemia among boarding secondary school adolescent girls in a peri-urban district.

Methods: The design was a cross-sectional survey. A total of 688 adolescents from four randomly selected girls-only boarding secondary schools in Wakiso District, Uganda, participated in this study. Fasting plasma glucose, body mass index (BMI), and blood pressure (BP) were measured. A questionnaire was used to assess demographic and lifestyle factors. Suspected dysglycemia was defined using the American Diabetes Association cutoff of fasting glucose ≥5.6 mmol/L. Overweight and hypertension were defined being above two SDs or the 95th percentile of the WHO BMI for age and BP for age reference charts, respectively. Logistic regression was used to determine the factors independently associated with dysglycemia.

Results: The mean age of the participants was 15.4 years (SD=1.7 years). Probable dysglycemia was found in 44 of 688 (6.4%) participants, ranging from 3.5% in the least affluent school to 9.8% in the most affluent school. No case of type 2 diabetes was found. 11.6% of the participants were found to have probable hypertension. Dysglycemia was higher in adolescents who were overweight (adjusted OR [AOR] 2.3; 95% CI 1.22-4.48), those with hypertension (AOR 4.0; 95% CI 1.86-8.45), and those who frequently stocked biscuits (AOR 3.0; 95% CI 1.21-7.28). Dysglycemia was lower in older adolescents (AOR 0.3; 95% CI 0.10-0.86) and those who took water with meals (AOR 3.0; 95% CI 1.21-7.28).

Conclusion: In these predominantly peri-urban boarding secondary schools, 6.4% of the adolescent girls have probable dysglycemia. As Africa undergoes the epidemiological transition, there is a need for closer surveillance for diabetes and hypertension in peri-urban schools and school health measures against lifestyle diseases.