COVID-19 in people living with diabetes: An international consensus.

The COVID-19 pandemic has added an enormous toll to the existing challenge of diabetes care world-wide. A large proportion of patients with COVID-19 requiring hospitalization and/or succumbing to the disease have had diabetes and other chronic conditions as underlying risk factors. In particular, individuals belonging to racial/ethnic minorities in the U.S. and other countries have been significantly and disproportionately impacted. Multiple and complex socioeconomic factors have long played a role in increasing the risk for diabetes and now for COVID-19. Since the pandemic began, the global healthcare community has accumulated invaluable clinical experience on providing diabetes care in the setting of COVID-19. In addition, understanding of the pathophysiological mechanisms that link these two diseases is being developed. The current clinical management of diabetes is a work in progress, requiring a shift in patient-provider interaction beyond the walls of clinics and hospitals: the use of tele-medicine when feasible, innovative patient education programs, strategies to ensure medication and glucose testing availability and affordability, as well as numerous ideas on how to improve meal plans and physical activity. Notably, this worldwide experience offers us the possibility to not only prepare better for future disasters but also transform diabetes care beyond the COVID-19 era.

A standard set of person-centred outcomes for diabetes mellitus: results of an international and unified approach.

AIMS: To select a core list of standard outcomes for diabetes to be routinely applied internationally, including patient-reported outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a structured systematic review of outcome measures, focusing on adults with either type 1 or type 2 diabetes. This process was followed by a consensus-driven modified Delphi panel, including a multidisciplinary group of academics, health professionals and people with diabetes. External feedback to validate the set of outcome measures was sought from people with diabetes and health professionals. RESULTS: The panel identified an essential set of clinical outcomes related to diabetes control, acute events, chronic complications, health service utilisation, and survival that can be measured using routine administrative data and/or clinical records. Three instruments were recommended for annual measurement of patient-reported outcome measures: the WHO Well-Being Index for psychological well-being; the depression module of the Patient Health Questionnaire for depression; and the Problem Areas in Diabetes scale for diabetes distress. A range of factors related to demographic, diagnostic profile, lifestyle, social support and treatment of diabetes were also identified for case-mix adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: We recommend the standard set identified in this study for use in routine practice to monitor, benchmark and improve diabetes care. The inclusion of patient-reported outcomes enables people living with diabetes to report directly on their condition in a structured way.

Ketosis-prone atypical diabetes in Cameroonian people with hyperglycaemic crisis: frequency, clinical and metabolic phenotypes.

AIM: It is unclear whether ketosis-prone diabetes is a specific type or a subtype of Type 2 diabetes. We aimed to describe the clinical and metabolic features of ketosis-prone diabetes in a sub-Saharan population. METHODS: We consecutively enrolled and characterized 173 people with non-autoimmune diabetes admitted for hyperglycaemic crisis at the Yaoundé Central Hospital, Cameroon. Blood samples were collected for fasting glucose, HbA1c , lipid profile and C-peptide assays with insulin resistance and secretion estimation by homeostasis model assessment. People were classified as having Type 2 diabetes (n = 124) or ketosis-prone diabetes (n = 49). Ketosis-prone diabetes was sub-classified as new-onset ketotic phase (n = 34) or non-ketotic phase (n = 15). RESULTS: Ketosis-prone diabetes was found in 28.3% of the hyperglycaemic crises. Age at diabetes diagnosis was comparable in Type 2 and ketosis-prone diabetes [48 ± 14 vs 47 ± 11 years; P = 0.13] with a similar sex distribution. Overall BMI was 27.7 ± 13.4 kg/m2 and was ≥ 25 kg/m2 in 55.8% of those taking part, however, 73.5% of those with ketosis-prone diabetes reported weight loss of > 5% at diagnosis. Blood pressure and lipid profile were comparable in both types. Ketosis-prone diabetes in the ketotic phase was characterized by lower insulin secretion and higher serum triglycerides compared with non-ketotic ketosis prone and Type 2 diabetes. Type 2 and ketosis prone diabetes in the non-ketotic phase were comparable in terms of lipid profile, blood pressure, waist-to-hip ratio, BMI and fat mass, insulin secretion and insulin resistance indices. CONCLUSIONS: Ketosis-prone diabetes is likely to be a subtype of Type 2 diabetes with the potential to develop acute insulinopenic episodes.

The need for an integrated approach for chronic disease research and care in Africa.

With the changing distribution of infectious diseases, and an increase in the burden of non-communicable diseases, low- and middle-income countries, including those in Africa, will need to expand their health care capacities to effectively respond to these epidemiological transitions. The interrelated risk factors for chronic infectious and non-communicable diseases and the need for long-term disease management, argue for combined strategies to understand their underlying causes and to design strategies for effective prevention and long-term care. Through multidisciplinary research and implementation partnerships, we advocate an integrated approach for research and healthcare for chronic diseases in Africa.

H3Africa multi-centre study of the prevalence and environmental and genetic determinants of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africa: study protocol.

The burden and aetiology of type 2 diabetes (T2D) and its microvascular complications may be influenced by varying behavioural and lifestyle environments as well as by genetic susceptibility. These aspects of the epidemiology of T2D have not been reliably clarified in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA), highlighting the need for context-specific epidemiological studies with the statistical resolution to inform potential preventative and therapeutic strategies. Therefore, as part of the Human Heredity and Health in Africa (H3Africa) initiative, we designed a multi-site study comprising case collections and population-based surveys at 11 sites in eight countries across SSA. The goal is to recruit up to 6000 T2D participants and 6000 control participants. We will collect questionnaire data, biophysical measurements and biological samples for chronic disease traits, risk factors and genetic data on all study participants. Through integrating epidemiological and genomic techniques, the study provides a framework for assessing the burden, spectrum and environmental and genetic risk factors for T2D and its complications across SSA. With established mechanisms for fieldwork, data and sample collection and management, data-sharing and consent for re-approaching participants, the study will be a resource for future research studies, including longitudinal studies, prospective case ascertainment of incident disease and interventional studies.

Performance of three glomerular filtration rate estimation equations in a population of sub-Saharan Africans with Type 2 diabetes.

AIM: We evaluated the performance of the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease (MDRD), Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) and Cockcroft-Gault (CG) equations against creatinine clearance (CrCl) to estimate glomerular filtration rate (GFR) in 51 patients with Type 2 diabetes. METHODS: The CrCl value was obtained from the average of two consecutive 24-h urine samples. Results were adjusted for body surface area using the Dubois formula. Serum creatinine was measured using the kinetic Jaffe method and was calibrated to standardized levels. Bland-Altman analysis and kappa statistic were used to examine agreement between measured and estimated GFR. RESULTS: Estimates of GFR from the CrCl, MDRD, CKD-EPI and CG equations were similar (overall P = 0.298), and MDRD (r = 0.58; 95% CI: 0.36-0.74), CKD-EPI (r = 0.55; 95% CI: 0.33-0.72) and CG (r = 0.61; 95% CI: 0.39-0.75) showed modest correlation with CrCl (all P < 0.001). Bias was -0.3 for MDRD, 1.7 for CKD-EPI and -5.4 for CG. All three equations showed fair-to-moderate agreement with CrCl (kappa: 0.38-0.51). The c-statistic for all three equations ranged between 0.75 and 0.77 with no significant difference (P = 0.639 for c-statistic comparison). CONCLUSIONS: The MDRD equation seems to have a modest advantage over CKD-EPI and CG in estimating GFR and detecting impaired renal function in sub-Saharan African patients with Type 2 diabetes. The overall relatively modest correlation with CrCl, however, suggests the need for context-specific estimators of GFR or context adaptation of existing estimators.

Community-based peer support significantly improves metabolic control in people with Type 2 diabetes in Yaoundé, Cameroon.

AIMS: To examine the effectiveness of a community-based multilevel peer support intervention in addition to usual diabetes care on improving glycaemic levels, blood pressure and lipids in patients with Type 2 diabetes in Yaoundé, Cameroon. METHODS: A total of 96 subjects with poorly controlled Type 2 diabetes (intervention group) and 96 age- and sex-matched controls were recruited and followed up over 6 months. The intervention subjects underwent a peer support intervention through peer-led group meetings, personal encounters and telephone calls. Both intervention subjects and controls continued their usual clinical care. HbA1c , blood pressure, blood lipids and self-care behaviours were measured at 0 and 6 months. RESULTS: There was significant reduction in HbA1c in the intervention group [-33 mmol/mol (-3.0%)] compared with controls [-14 mmol/mol (-1.3%)]; P < 0.001. Peer support also led to significant reductions in fasting blood sugar (-0.83 g/l P < 0.001), cholesterol (-0.54 g/l P < 0.001), HDL (-0.09 g/l, P < 0.001), BMI (-2.71 kg/m² P < 0.001) and diastolic pressure (-6.77 mmHg, P < 0.001) over the 6-month period. Also, diabetes self-care behaviours in the intervention group improved significantly over the 6 months of peer support. CONCLUSION: Community-based peer support, in addition to usual care, significantly improved metabolic control in patients with uncontrolled Type 2 diabetes in Yaoundé, Cameroon. This could provide a model for optimizing diabetes care and control in other settings with limited healthcare and financial resources.

Body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-hip-ratio and waist-height-ratio: which is the better discriminator of prevalent screen-detected diabetes in a Cameroonian population?

BACKGROUND: The link between measures of adiposity and prevalent screen-detected diabetes (SDM) in Africa has been less well investigated. We assessed and compared the strength of association and discriminatory capability of measures of adiposity including body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), waist-hip-ratio (WHR) and waist-height-ratio (WHtR) for prevalent SDM risk in a sub-Saharan African population. METHODS: Participants were 8663 adults free of diagnosed type 2 diabetes, who took part in the nationally representative Cameroon Burden of Diabetes (CAMBoD) 2006 survey. Logistic regression models were used to compute the odd ratio (OR) and 95% confidence interval (95%CI) for a standard deviation (SD) higher level of BMI (7.3), WC (12.5), HC (11.7), WHR (0.19) and WHtR (0.08) with prevalent SDM risk. Assessment and comparison of discrimination used C-statistic and relative integrated discrimination improvement (RIDI, %). RESULTS: The adjusted OR and 95%CI for prevalent SDM with each SD higher adipometric variable were: 1.05 (0.98-1.13) for BMI, 1.30 (1.16-1.46) for WC, 1.18 (1.05-1.34) for HC, 1.05 (1.00-1.16) for WHR and 1.26 (1.11-1.39) for WHtR. C-statistic comparisons and RIDI analyses showed a trend toward a significant superiority of WC over other adipometric variables in multivariable models. Combining adiposity variables did not improve discrimination beyond multivariable models with WC alone. CONCLUSION: WC was the best predictors and to some extent WHtR of prevalent SDM in this population, while BMI and WHR were less effective.

Influence of migration on characteristics of type 2 diabetes in sub-Saharan Africans.

AIM: This study compared the clinical and biochemical characteristics and microvascular complications found in three groups of type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients: Africans living in Africa; African immigrants living in France; and Caucasians living in France. METHODS: Diagnosed T2D Africans living in Cameroon (n=100) were compared with 98 African migrants diagnosed with T2D after having moved to France, and a group of 199 T2D Caucasian patients living in France. All underwent clinical and biochemical evaluations, and all were assessed for microvascular complications. RESULTS: The median duration of stay of the migrants in France was 15years before being diagnosed with diabetes. Despite similar durations of diagnosis, they were 8.9years younger at the time of diagnosis than Africans living in Cameroon (P<0.001). Caucasians and African immigrants in France had lower HbA1c values than Africans in Cameroon (P<0.001); they were also more aggressively treated for hypertension and dyslipidaemia and, therefore, had significantly lower blood pressure levels and better lipid profiles. Diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy rates were higher in Cameroon than in the two other groups. After adjusting for age, diabetes duration, HbA1c, hypertension and other covariates, only the prevalence of diabetic nephropathy (OR: 5.61, 95% CI: 2.32-13.53; P<0.0001) was higher in Cameroon compared with those living in France. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that Africans who emigrate to France may develop diabetes earlier than those staying in their home country. However, the latter may be a reflection of late diagnosis of diabetes. Also, the less adequate diabetes and hypertension control in the latter would explain their higher rates of nephropathy. Large-scale cohorts are now warranted to substantiate these observations.

Validation of an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay for C-peptide analysis in Cameroon.

AIMS: To validate an ELISA method for C-peptide analysis in Cameroon. METHODS: We evaluated the linearity, detection limit, functional sensitivity, precision and accuracy, and further investigated for cross-reactivity by proinsulin, and interferences by lipids, bilirubin and hemoglobin. This method was compared with the Roche electrochemiluminescence immunoassay. C-peptide stability was assessed following a series of freeze-thaw cycles, and after storage at room temperature. The C-peptide reference range was determined by analyzing fifty plasma samples of Cameroonians without diabetes. RESULTS: The ELISA was linear at least up to 7.09 µg/L, and had a detection limit of 0.09 µg/L, and a functional sensitivity of 0.32 µg/L. The inter- and intraassay %CV were 2.9-9.9%, and 5.2-9.4%, respectively. Recoveries were 81-94% in serum, and 93-98% in buffer. Comparison with the ECLIA yielded a good correlation coefficient (R(2)=0.98). There was no cross-reactivity with proinsulin, and no interference with lipids, bilirubin and hemoglobin. C-peptide was stable at room temperature for 24 h and up to 7 freeze-thaw cycles for medium (1-6 µg/L) and high (>6 µg/L) levels (<-15°C and <-70°C). The reference range for C-peptide was 0.38-3.63 µg/L. CONCLUSIONS: This method is suitable for C-peptide analysis in low-income countries like Cameroon.

Prevalence and determinants of electrocardiographic abnormalities in sub-Saharan African individuals with type 2 diabetes.

AIM: This study assessed the prevalence and determinants of electrocardiographic abnormalities in a group of type 2 diabetes patients recruited from two referral centres in Cameroon. METHODS: A total of 420 patients (49% men) receiving chronic diabetes care at the Douala General and Yaoundé Central hospitals were included. Electrocardiographic abnormalities were investigated, identified and related to potential determinants, with logistic regressions. RESULTS: The mean age and median duration of diagnosis were 56.7 years and four years, respectively. The main electrocardiographic aberrations (prevalence %) were: T-wave abnormalities (20.9%), Cornell product left ventricular hypertrophy (16.4%), arrhythmia (16.2%), ischaemic heart disease (13.6%), conduction defects (11.9%), QTc prolongation (10.2%) and ectopic beats (4.8%). Blood pressure variables were consistently associated with all electrocardiographic abnormalities. Diabetes-specific factors were associated with some abnormalities only. CONCLUSIONS: Electrocardiographic aberrations in this population were dominated by repolarisation, conduction defects and left ventricular hypertrophy, and were more related to blood pressure than diabetes-specific factors.

Continuous interstitial glucose monitoring in non-diabetic subjects with end-stage renal disease undergoing maintenance haemodialysis.

Haemodialysis improves uraemia-induced insulin sensitivity and is therefore likely to induce significant changes in circulating glucose concentrations in end-stage renal disease (ESRD). We aimed to assess clinically relevant circulating glucose changes in patients undergoing chronic maintenance haemodialysis using continuous interstitial monitoring. We investigated 14 non-diabetic ESRD subjects aged 40.6+/-2.4 years. Participants were examined 24-h day pre-dialysis, during the index dialysis session and 24-h post-dialysis with simultaneous measurement of capillary blood glucose and continuous interstitial glucose (CGMS). Participants performed five capillary blood glucose measurements the day before dialysis, and 10 during and after dialysis. Mean capillary blood glucose was 128+/-20mg/dl the day before, 93+/-8mg/dl during haemodialysis, and 105+/-13mg/dl after haemodialysis. There was a significant trend towards lower blood glucose during the session from 105+/-16mg/dl to a 3rd hour nadir of 83+/-15mg/dl (Anova F=2.89, p=0.029). No hypoglycaemia was recorded. Interstitial glucose profile was comparable to capillary glucose profile. Glucose concentrations varied significantly from 126+/-13mg/dl before to 112+/-12mg/dl after haemodialysis respectively (p=0.006). This study provides evidence for the use of CGMS in ESRD and haemodialysis, and demonstrates significant changes in glucose concentrations during and after haemodialysis that would guide treatment monitoring and adjustments.

Waist circumference and obesity-related abnormalities in French and Cameroonian adults: the role of urbanization and ethnicity.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the effect of urbanization and ethnicity on correlations between waist circumference (WC) and obesity-related cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: 1471 rural and urban Cameroonians, and 4185 French, from community-based studies, aged > or =25 years, not treated for hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia participated in this study. Slopes of obesity-related abnormalities with WC were compared using an interaction term between place of residence and WC. RESULTS: Women in urban Cameroon and men in France had significantly higher WC and BMI relative to their gender counterparts. Urban Cameroonians had higher abdominal adiposity, but lower BP and better metabolic profile than the French. WC was positively associated to all the obesity-related abnormalities in the three sites except to FPG (both genders) and blood lipids (women) in rural Cameroon. A 5 cm larger WC was associated with a higher increment among urban than rural Cameroonians for diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (women, 1.95/0.63 mm Hg; men, 2.56/1.44 mm Hg), HOMA-IR (women, 0.11/0.05), fasting plasma glucose (FPG) (men, 0.09/-0.01 mmol/l) and triglycerides (women, 0.06/0.01 mmol/l; men, 0.09/0.03 mmol/l), all P<0.05. A 5 cm larger WC was associated with a higher increment among urban Cameroon than French people for DBP (women, 1.95/1.28 mm Hg, P<0.01; men, 2.56/1.49 mm Hg, P<0.01), but with a lower increment for HOMA-IR (women, 0.11/0.14, P<0.05), FPG (women, 0.05/0.09 mmol/l), total cholesterol (women, 0.07/0.11 mmol/l; men, 0.10/0.13 mmol/l) and triglycerides (women, 0.06/0.11 mmol/l; men, 0.09/0.13 mmol/l) all P<0.05. CONCLUSION: Ethnicity and urbanization modify the association of WC with obesity-related metabolic abnormalities. WC cutoff points derived from Caucasians may not be appropriate for black Sub-Saharan Africans.

Ten-year change in blood pressure levels and prevalence of hypertension in urban and rural Cameroon.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is becoming increasingly important in sub-Saharan Africa. However, evidences in support of this trend with time are still not available. The aim of this study was to evaluate the 10-year change in blood pressure levels and prevalence of hypertension in rural and urban Cameroon. METHODS: Two cross-sectional population-based surveys in Yaounde (urban area) and Evodoula (rural area) in 1994 (1762 subjects) and 2003 (1398 subjects) used similar methodologies in women and men aged >or=24 years. Data on systolic and diastolic blood pressures (SBP and DBP), body mass index, educational level, alcohol consumption and tobacco smoking were collected during the two periods. RESULTS: Between 1994 and 2003, blood pressure levels significantly increased in rural women (SBP, +18.2 mm Hg; DBP, +11.9 mm Hg) and men (SBP, +18.8 mm Hg; DBP, +11.6 mm Hg), all p<0.001. In the urban area, SBP increased in women (+8.1 mm Hg, p<0.001) and men (+6.5 mm Hg, p<0.001), and DBP increased only in women (+3.3 mm Hg, p<0.001). The OR (95% CI) adjusted on confounders comparing the prevalence of hypertension (blood pressure >or= 140/90 mm Hg and/or treatment) between 2003 and 1994 ranged from 1.5 (1.1 to 2.2) in urban men to 5.3 (3.2 to 8.9) in rural men. CONCLUSION: Blood pressure levels of this population have deteriorated over time, and the prevalence of hypertension has increased by twofold to fivefold. Adverse effects of risk factors could account for some of these changes. Prevention and control programmes are needed to reverse these trends and to avoid the looming complications.

Evaluation of a simple management protocol for hyperglycaemic crises using intramuscular insulin in a resource-limited setting.

BACKGROUND: Management of hyperglycaemic crises requires expensive and labour-intensive procedures that are not achievable in all clinical settings. Intramuscular (IM) insulin therapy is a more feasible alternative, but remains insufficiently evaluated. We report here on an audit of clinical outcomes of a simple management protocol that involves IM insulin therapy, careful rehydration and inexpensive monitoring in a resource-limited setting. METHODS: In June 2006, we began the routine use of a protocol based on IM insulin administration, careful rehydration and affordable monitoring for the management of hyperglycaemic crises in Yaoundé Central Hospital. Clinical records of patients admitted for hyperglycaemic crises 6 months before and 6 months after introduction of the protocol were independently coded and compared for clinical outcomes, including the 48-hour death rate as a primary endpoint. Secondary endpoints were blood glucose (BG) normalization and duration of hospital stay. RESULTS: A total of 112 patients' files fulfilled the inclusion criteria, including 57 before and 55 after the introduction of the IM protocol (intervention). Patients of the pre-intervention group were aged 56.4+/-2.1 years versus 53.9+/-2.3 years in the intervention group (p=0.41), with 23% versus 40%, respectively, with newly diagnosed diabetes (p=0.05), and 45% versus 41%, respectively, with significant ketosis on admission (p=0.84). As for the primary endpoint, 15.8% of the pre-intervention group died within 48 hours of admission versus 3.6% in the intervention group (p=0.03). BG was normalized within 24 hours of admission in 28.1% patients of the pre-intervention group versus 90.9% of the intervention group (p<0.001). However, the overall duration of hospitalization was similar in both groups. Septic shock, ketosis and high serum creatinine on admission were associated with poor outcomes in both groups. CONCLUSION: The proposed protocol using IM insulin can be safely used to treat hyperglycaemic crises, with mortality rates comparable to those in specialized centres in developed countries.

A sub-Saharan African perspective of diabetes.

Diabetes mellitus is an important and increasing cause of morbidity and mortality in sub-Saharan Africa. Accurate epidemiological studies are often logistically and financially difficult, but processes of rural-urban migration and epidemiological transition are certainly increasing the prevalence of type 2 diabetes. Type 1 disease is relatively rare, although this may be related to high mortality. This diabetic subgroup appears to present at a later age (by about a decade) than in Western countries. Variant forms of diabetes are also described in the continent; notably 'atypical, ketosis-prone' diabetes, and malnutrition-related diabetes mellitus. These types sometimes make the distinction between type 1 and type 2 diabetes difficult. Interestingly, this is also a current experience in the developed world. As more detailed and reliable complication studies emerge, it is increasingly apparent that African diabetes is associated with a high complication burden, which is both difficult to treat and prevent. More optimistically, a number of intervention studies and twinning projects are showing real benefits in varying locations. Future improvements depend on practical and sustainable support, coupled with local acceptance of diabetes as a major threat to the future health and quality of life of sub-Saharan Africans.

The spectrum of coma among people with diabetes in Cameroon: an appraisal of the implications and challenges at the Yaounde Central Hospital.

The present study was undertaken to assess the prevalence and prognosis of comas, the most serious acute complications of diabetes, among people with diabetes in Cameroon. The medical records of diabetic patients admitted to the endocrinolgy service of the Yaounde Central Hospital between November 1999 and October 2002 were reviewed. For each patient, data were collected on past medical history, clinical parameters, results of laboratory investigations, treatment received, and outcome. Coma was found to account for 10.2% (52) of the 509 admissions of diabetic patients, and to be responsible for a diagnosis of diabetes in 11 patients. The underlying causes of the comas were hypoglycaemia (28.8%), ketoacidosis (25%), hyperosmolar syndrome (25%), stroke (5.8%), uraemic syndrome (5.8%) and meningitis (5.8%). Hypoglycaemia was treated with intravenous (10%) glucose. Careful rehydration and subcutaneous injections of low doses of regular insulin were used to manage the hyperglycaemic crises, and broad-spectrum antibiotics were used to treat the infections. Despite the treatments, 11 of the coma cases died in hospital, six (55%) of the deaths being ultimately attributed to infection. Diabetic comas are relatively frequent in Yaounde and sometimes the first indication that an individual is diabetic. Associated deaths are regularly the result of infection. The management of the comas, using techniques that are not particularly aggressive, generates outcomes similar to those reported elsewhere.

Diet and overweight and obesity in populations of African origin: Cameroon, Jamaica and the UK.

OBJECTIVES: To determine the relationship of diet to overweight and obesity among populations of African origin. DESIGN AND SETTING: Cross-sectional data were obtained from adults aged 25-74 years in rural Cameroon (n = 686), urban Cameroon (n = 975), Jamaica (n = 924) and Afro-Caribbeans in the UK (n = 257). Dietary data were collected using food-frequency questionnaires specifically designed for each site. Body mass index (BMI) was used as a measure of overweight. RESULTS: The expected gradient in the distribution of overweight across sites was seen in females (rural Cameroon, 9.5%; urban Cameroon, 47.1%; Jamaica, 63.8%; UK, 71.6%); however, among males overweight was less prevalent in Jamaica (22.0%) than urban Cameroon (36.3%). In developing countries increased risks of overweight (BMI > or = 25 kg m(-2) were influenced by higher energy (urban Cameroonian men) and protein (Jamaican women) intakes. No dietary variables were associated with obesity (BMI > or = 30 kg m(-2) in Cameroon or Jamaica. In the UK, energy intakes were inversely related with overweight whereas increased risks of being overweight were associated with higher protein (men) and fat (women) intakes. Similarly, whereas higher protein and fat intakes in UK men and women were associated with obesity, carbohydrate intakes were associated with decreased risks of obesity in men. CONCLUSIONS: Diet and overweight were associated in the UK but few dietary variables were related to overweight in Jamaica and the Cameroon. These findings suggest that associations between diet and overweight/obesity are not generalisable among populations.