Gender, body mass index and socio-demographic variables associated with knowledge about type 2 diabetes mellitus among 13,293 Mexican students

The main aim of this study was to evaluate correlates of the knowledge Mexican young people have about type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) risk and prevention. We developed a cross-sectional study in public schools in Morelos, in central Mexico during 1998-1999 in 13 293 students (11-24 years). We determined body mass index (BMI) with anthropometric measurements (height and weight). Using questionnaire data, we constructed a DM knowledge-based scale. Statistical analysis was done using an ordinal, logistic regression model. Only 1.6% of the students (95%CI=1.4-1.8) had high DM knowledge levels; 85.6% (95%CI=84.9-86.1) had low levels. The factors with the strongest associations with high levels of knowledge about type 2 DM among the Mexican students in this study were: being in high school or at university (vs. junior high), urban residence, higher socio-economic level, and BMI indicating overweight or obesity. Other socio-demographic factors correlated with high levels of knowledge about the disease, but with slightly weaker associations, included female gender, higher age, higher academic achievement (grades) and higher education level of the student's mother. While young men who were overweight or obese were 2.6 and 3.4 times more likely to have high levels of knowledge about DM (95%CI=1.9-3.6 and 2.1-5.5, respectively), young women who were overweight or obese were only 1.4 and 1.1 times more likely to have high knowledge about DM (95%CI=1.0-1.9 and 0.6-1.8, respectively). Mexican young people have limited knowledge about DM, although this chronic disease is increasingly common in Mexico as in many other countries.