Association of early-onset diabetes with socioeconomic, and health factors: a matched case-control study controlling for age, gender, and BMI

Jun-Hao Shen; In-Whi Hwang; Ju-Pil Choe; Soo-Ji Hwang; Joon-Young Kim; Jung-Min Lee

doi:10.1007/s40200-024-01532-1

Association of early-onset diabetes with socioeconomic, and health factors: a matched case-control study controlling for age, gender, and BMI

J Diabetes Metab Disord. 2024 Dec 17;24(1):14. doi: 10.1007/s40200-024-01532-1. eCollection 2025 Jun.

Authors

Jun-Hao Shen¹, In-Whi Hwang¹, Ju-Pil Choe², Soo-Ji Hwang¹, Joon-Young Kim³, Jung-Min Lee^{4

5}

Affiliations

¹ Present Address: Graduate School of Physical Education, Kyung Hee University (Global Campus), 1732 Deokyoungdaero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 17014 Republic of Korea.
² Health and Sport Analytics Laboratory, Department of Health, Exercise Science, and Recreation Management, The University of Mississippi, University, 38677 USA.
³ Department of Exercise Science, David B. Falk College of Sport and Human Dynamics, Syracuse University, Syracuse, NY USA.
⁴ Sports Science Research Center, Kyung Hee University (Global Campus), 1732 Deokyoungdaero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 17014 Republic of Korea.
⁵ Department of Physical Education, Kyung Hee University (Global Campus), 1732 Deokyoungdaero, Giheung-gu, Yongin-si, Gyeonggi-do 17014 Republic of Korea.

PMID: 39703349
PMCID: PMC11652543 (available on 2025-12-17)
DOI: 10.1007/s40200-024-01532-1

Abstract

Objectives: This study examines the link between early-onset diabetes and health factors in South Korean young adults (20-39) using data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2010-2020).

Methods: A matched case-control study was conducted in 2022 with 103 patients with diabetes and 103 controls, matched by age, gender, and BMI. All data, including socioeconomic status (income, education, occupation), health behaviors (smoking, alcohol consumption, physical activity), and medical histories, were extracted from the KNHANES database. We analyzed socioeconomic status, health behaviors, and medical histories using descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, and binary logistic regression.

Results: The study revealed that educational attainment and economic status are substantial predictors of diabetes, with those holding only a high school diploma showing a nearly threefold increased risk compared to college graduates (OR = 2.986; 95% CI = 1.334-6.687). Additionally, participants with a higher number of chronic diseases (OR = 3.534; 95% CI: 1.547-8.073) and those who felt unwell in the past two weeks (OR = 4.010; 95% CI: 1.388-11.585) also demonstrated significantly increased odds of diabetes. And having a parent with diabetes was an exceptionally strong predictor, with these participants having a significantly increased risk of diabetes (OR = 47.022; 95% CI = 4.206-525.704).

Conclusion: The study emphasizes that improving educational and economic conditions, coupled with targeted screening programs for individuals with a family history of diabetes, may be effective in curbing the tide of early-onset diabetes in South Korea. These strategies may have profound implications for public health policies aimed at mitigating the risk in this increasingly vulnerable group.

Keywords: Diabetes mellitus; Health behavior; Health surveys; Socioeconomic factors; South Korea; Young adult.

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