Sociodemographic and health related factors associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus among middle-aged adult and elderly in Yangon, Myanmar

Background: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) is increasingly prevalent globally especially in low- and middle-income countries. In Myanmar, the rise of T2DM particularly among the elderly highlights the need for early detection and intervention. Objectives: This study aimed to identify the sociodemographic and health-related factors contributing to T2DM in middle-aged and elderly populations in Yangon to inform targeted prevention strategies. Methods: This cross-sectional study conducted in Yangon, 2024 included 512 participants aged 40 years and older selected via multistage random sampling. Data were collected using the Kobo Collect app and analysed using Stata 18.0. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the participants’ characteristics including frequencies, percentages and means. Simple logistic regression was applied to identify factors associated with T2DM followed by multiple logistic regression to assess adjusted odds ratios (AOR) for significant predictors. The significance level was set at 0.05 for all statistical tests. Results: Of the total 512 participants, 55.66% (95% CI: 51.32-59.92) had normal fasting blood sugar (FBS), 30.08% (95% CI: 26.25-34.20) had prediabetes and 14.26% (95% CI: 11.48-17.57) had T2DM. Our multivariable analysis by multiple logistic regression analysis observed that respondents age over 60 years (AOR = 3.47, 95% CI: 1.64–7.32), being of Kayin ethnicity (AOR = 2.87, 95% CI: 1.47–5.61), larger waist measurements (AOR = 3.57, 95% CI: 1.68–7.60), had chronic illnesses (AOR = 7.97, 95% CI: 4.17–15.23) and had family history of diabetes mellitus (AOR = 4.10, 95% CI: 2.09–8.04) were associated with type 2 diabetes among the middle aged and elderly population of Yangon, Myanmar. Conclusion: Type 2 DM is common among middle-aged and elderly individuals in Yangon. Key risk factors included age, obesity, chronic illness and family history were major predictors of it. Targeted interventions addressing these factors are essential for diabetes prevention in this population.