Comprehensive approaches to diabetes in the elderly: adapting to evolving trends.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) is increasing worldwide owing to aging. This nationwide study aimed to investigate the prevalence of DM and its management status among elderly Koreans. METHODS: We analyzed data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2019-2021) to assess the prevalence of DM, awareness, treatment rates, and glycemic control status among elderly Koreans aged ≥ 65 years. RESULTS: The prevalence of DM increased significantly from 2019 to 2021, reaching 30.9% among elderly Koreans by 2021. Women were older than men (73.7 ± 5.0 vs. 72.7 ± 4.9 years, p < 0.001) and had higher BMI than men (24.5 ± 3.0 vs. 25.1 ± 3.6 kg/m2, p < 0.001). The waist circumference was 91.5 ± 8.8 cm in men and 88.8 ± 9.2 cm in women (p < 0.005). The prevalence of obesity among patients with DM was 44.5%, significantly higher in women (47.4%) than men (41.2%; p = 0.003). Women also had higher rates of hypertension and hypercholesterolemia than men (hypertension: 74.0% vs. 66.5%, p < 0.005; hypercholesterolemia: 53.0% vs. 38.5%, p < 0.001). Women exhibited higher awareness rates of DM compared to men. Awareness and treatment rates were higher in older individuals compared to those aged 30-64 years. Regarding glycemic control, the target achievement rate was 61.0% for HbA1c < 7.0% in the total age group, with nearly 27.6% achieving strict control (HbA1c < 6.5%). CONCLUSION: Our study underscores the rising DM prevalence among elderly Koreans and emphasizes the need for age-tailored management approaches to optimize care.