Abstract

INTRODUCTION The present study aimed to assess the behavioral and familial predictors of diabetes mellitus as well as their interaction in the risk of diabetes mellitus type2. METHODS The present cross-sectional study was conducted using the Yazd health study (YaHS) data which was collected in 2013-14. Statistical population of this study consisted of all 9340 individuals aged between 20 and 69 in Yazd City. Logistic regression was used to determine behavioral factors and family history of diabetes and their interaction in the risk of diabetes. RESULTS In the present study, age, family history of type 2 diabetes, waist-to-hip ratio, BMI, educational level, physical activity and smoking were considered as the risk factors for type 2 diabetes.There was a significant interaction(negative interaction) between family history of diabetes and other risk factors only for BMI, so that the risk of developing type-2 diabetes was lower in the presence of two risk factors- family history of diabetes and BMI- than the risk of diabetes in the presence of each of these factors. CONCLUSION Results of the present study suggested that despite the consideration of family history as an independent risk factor for type 2 diabetes, if it was used as a tool to raise the awareness and sensitivity in people with type 2 diabetes, it would reduce the risk of developing this type of diabetes in people who had other risk factors for type 2 diabetes.