Diabetes mellitus among a population of bakers: a cross-sectional study

ABSTRACT

This study was carried out to estimate the prevalence rate of Diabetes Mellitus [DM] among a population of bakers exposed to high environmental temperatures, and contrast this with a comparison unexposed group. This is a cross-sectional study Bakers and control group at Al-Khobar area of Saudi Arabia 137 bakers [exposed group], working in 20 bakeries, and 107 comparable referents. Information was collected by means of an interview-administered questionnaire. A single sample of venous blood was collected once from each study participant and analyzed at a central laboratory for random blood sugar level. DM is higher among bakers as a result of heat exposure in the workplace. The prevalence rate of DM among the bakers was found to be 4.4% in six subjects, as compared to none in the referent group. The high rate of DM among bakers was found to be associated with the unfavorable hot working conditions in bakeries, after all possible confounding factors of DM had been considered