RESUMO
OBJECTIVE: To identify risk factors related to uncontrolled fasting blood sugar among type 2 diabetic patients. METHODOLOGY: A systematic random sampling technique was followed to include 450 diabetic patients attending Al-Qabil Primary Health Care Center in Abha City, Saudi Arabia. Collected data comprised sociodemographic characteristics (age, gender, height, weight, education, employment, body mass index, and smoking), while disease-related characteristics included duration of diabetes, fasting blood sugar control, hypertension, and regularity of follow up visits. RESULTS: Fasting blood sugar was uncontrolled among 76.9% of selected patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Overweight and obesity were present among 81.6%. Significant risk factors for uncontrolled blood sugar included older age, male gender (P = .037), illiteracy (P = .020), being employed (P = .003), longer duration of disease (P = .023), hypertension (P = .010), and smoking (P = .001). CONCLUSIONS: Prevalence of uncontrolled fasting blood sugar is high among patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus. Risk factors associated with uncontrolled fasting blood sugar include older age, male gender, illiteracy, being employed, longer duration of disease, hypertension, smoking, and obesity. Therefore, for better control of blood sugar among diabetics, it is recommended to control the blood pressure and body weight of diabetics and avoid smoking.