Genetics of non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM)

NIDDM is one of the commonest metabolic disorders encountered in clinical practice, affecting an estimated 3% of the population of the Western World [1]. Prevalence data from Africa have recently been reviewed [2] and it appears that NIDDM has a prevalence in South Africa comparable to that found in developed countries, with a similar rate in rural and urban populations. In the northern part of South Africa, the available data indicates a low prevalence rate in both rural and urban populations in most areas studied [3]. However, in some countries, such as Tunisia, the prevalence in urban communities is similar to that of the Western World [4].