Co-Prevalence Of Obesity, Diabetes, And Cardiorenal Diseases In Turkey: Insights From A Delphi Panel
Review Article
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.18176431Keywords:
Obesity, Diabetes, Cardiorenal Disease, Delphi PanelAbstract
Background: Obesity, diabetes, and cardiorenal diseases are pressing public health concerns in Türkiye, significantly contributing to morbidity and mortality. Despite their importance, current data on their prevalence and co-prevalence are limited and outdated. This study aims to examine the coexistence of these conditions and explore shared risk factors within the Turkish population.
Method: The panel utilised data from the TurkStat Health Survey conducted by the Turkish Statistical Institute (TÜİK), which included approximately 29.000 participants. Participants' responses were analysed to calculate the prevalence and co-prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and cardiorenal diseases. Additionally, a systematic literature review was conducted using PRISMA guidelines to analyse national and international peer-reviewed articles. A Delphi panel of internists, cardiologists, endocrinologists, and nephrologists was established to evaluate the findings and address data limitations. This three-pronged approach ensured the most accurate and reliable estimates, providing insights for effective health strategies and disease management.
Results: According to TÜİK data, the prevalence of diabetes was reported as 13%, while the literature projected it at 15.7%, and the Delphi panel estimated it at 19%. The prevalence of obesity was reported as 22% by TÜİK, 36% in the literature, and 38% by the expert panel, which attributed discrepancies to underreporting of weight in self-reported data. Similarly, the prevalence of cardiovascular disease was reported as 8% in TÜİK data, 6% in the literature, and adjusted to 10.9% by experts.
Conclusion: These findings highlight the tendency of existing studies to underestimate disease prevalence, necessitating expert panels to obtain accurate assessments to better inform national health needs. This expert consensus highlights the need for robust data generation to overcome the limitations of surveys and literature-based studies.
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