LAUSR

Background: To assess and compare the cardiometabolic risk profile of the Pakistani population between younger (<45 years) and older adults (≥45 years). Methods: This is a substudy of a nationally representative community-based epidemiological second National Diabetes Survey of Pakistan (NDSP) 2016-2017. Out of 12,486 individuals approached, 10,834 participants agreed to be included (response rate 87%). Cardiovascular risk factors assessed were obesity, central obesity, hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and tobacco use. Participants were stratified into young adults (<45 years) and older adults (≥45 years) and was subcategorized into four groups that is, diagnosed diabetes mellitus (DM), undiagnosed DM, prediabetes, and without diabetes. Results: Around 14.3% were prediabetes, 8.8% were undiagnosed DM, and 24% were diagnosed diabetes. Most participants in dysglycemic (prediabetes, undiagnosed DM, and diagnosed DM) groups were females and were from rural regions. Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors were more noted in dysglycemic states, compared with without diabetes. Overall CVD risk profile was worse in males in both age categories, although the accumulation of four or five CVD risk factors at one point was more predominant in females in either age group. Conclusion: Overall, the preponderance of CVD risk factors, such as overweight, obesity, central obesity, tobacco use, ex-tobacco uses, and dyslipidemia, were substantially more prevalent in dysglycemia groups of young adults (<45 years) compared with older adults (≥45 years). Early and targeted intervention in young may prevent poor CVD outcomes as they age.