Understanding the burden and associated risk factors of type 2 diabetes mellitus among middle-aged and aging population in Yangon, Myanmar: a cross-sectional analytical study.

Background and objectives: Diabetes mellitus is a growing global health concern. In Myanmar, its prevalence among the elderly rose sharply from 14.6% to 31.9% between 2004 and 2014 with Yangon especially impacted due to urbanization and healthcare gaps. This study aimed to identify factors associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) among middle-aged and elderly in Yangon, Myanmar. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 512 adults aged ≥ 40 years in Yangon using multistage random sampling. Multiple logistic regression was applied to determine associated factors with significance set at P < 0.05. Results: The overall prevalence of T2DM was 14.26% (95% CI: 11.48-17.57) with 10.42% (95% CI: 7.64-14.07) among middle-aged adults and 22.93% (95% CI: 17.01-30.17) among elderly. In middle-aged adults, T2DM was significantly associated with the presence of chronic illness (AOR = 6.25, 95% CI: 2.87-13.61), a family history of diabetes (AOR = 5.44, 95% CI: 2.52-11.76) and a positive attitude toward diabetes (AOR = 3.12, 95% CI: 1.26-7.73). Among the elderly, independent risk factors for T2DM included affiliation with non-Burmese ethnic minority groups (AOR = 5.20, 95% CI: 1.21-6.09), physical inactivity (AOR = 2.97, 95% CI: 1.13-7.81), increased waist circumference (AOR = 8.38, 95% CI: 2.30-30.54) and the presence of chronic illness (AOR = 14.27, 95% CI: 4.26-47.78). Conclusion: Approximately one in four elderly individuals were found to have prevalent T2DM. To ensure effective prevention and control, targeted interventions are essential particularly those addressing chronic illnesses, obesity, physical inactivity and a family history of diabetes. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s40200-025-01768-5.