CHRONIC DISEASE IN FORMER COLLEGE STUDENTS

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Paffenbarger, R. S., Jr. (Calif. State Dept. of Public Health, Berkeley, Calif. 94704) and A. L. Wing. Chronic disease in former college students. XII. Early precursors of adult-onset diabetes mellitus. Am J Epidemiol 97: 314–323, 1973.—Of 26,954 men who responded to a mailed questionnaire, 395 reported doctor-diagnosed diabetes with onset at age 25 or older. There was a 71% response by former students of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania queried 16–50 years after college case-taking. College medical records of respondents revealed characteristics that predisposed to diabetes later in life: heavier weight-for-height, higher systolic blood pressure, lower vital capacity, a parental history of diabetes or any combination of two or more of these. Other characteristics of college youth associated with adult-onset diabetes included heart irregularity determined by doctors, as well as dyspnea on exertion, a sense of exhaustion, and consumption of coffee or tea reported by students them selves. At time of questioanaire response after college, hypertension, coronary heart disease, stroke and a history of parental death from diabetes were more common among former students who themselves had developed diabetes than among classmates who had not. Heavier weight. for-height in college would seem to be the best predictor of subsequent diabetes. Reduction of obesity through dietary management or physical activity thus might be a productive means of intervention to forestall onset of adult-onset diabetes mellitus.

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