Risk of developing type 2 diabetes according to FINDRISC and socioeconomic status

Background The risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D) is significantly related to low socioeconomic status (SES) in developed countries, but there is a dearth of evidence for such a relationship in developing countries. We aimed to verify the relationship between the risk-frequency of developing T2D and SES in a local population of Argentina. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. We interviewed 150 people 45–64 years of age living in a district of Ensenada municipality (Buenos Aires, Argentina). For the interview we used three questionnaires: (i) one to record identification data anonymously, (ii) the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (FINDRISC), and (iii) a questionnaire collecting information about educational level and the total household income. Statistical analysis was performed with parametric or non-parametric tests as appropriate. Results The interviewed were mostly women (56%) with an average low education and income level; 40% presented a moderate to very high risk for developing T2D, whereas 60% presented a low (24.7%) or slightly high (35.3%) risk. The risk score increased significantly with lower SES. Moreover, respondents that reached a higher education level than their parents showed a non-significantly lower average FINDRISC score than those who did not reach this improvement. Conclusion Our data show, in a developing country, an inverse relationship between the risk of developing T2D and SES.