‘Evidence of a growing epidemic:’ 1 in 5 adolescents have prediabetes, CDC says
Prediabetes is prevalent among adolescents and young adults and an “emerging health threat,” a study found.
When someone has prediabetes, it means their blood sugar levels are “higher than normal” but not high enough to be diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, according to a release from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Those with prediabetes have an increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes and an increased risk of heart disease, stroke and chronic kidney disease, the CDC says.
A study done by the CDC and published in the Journal of the American Medical Association on Monday used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey between 2005 and 2016 to look at the percentage of adolescents and young adults who have the condition, the CDC says.
One in five adolescents, or those ages 12 to 18, and one in four young adults, or those ages 18 to 34, have prediabetes, the study found.
Males and those with obesity were more likely to have the condition, the study found. Additionally, “Hispanic young adults had higher rates” of the condition than white young adults.
The adolescents and young adults with prediabetes had “significantly higher cholesterol levels, systolic blood pressure, abdominal fat and lower insulin sensitivity,” the study found.
“We’re already seeing increased rates of type 2 diabetes and diabetes-related complications in youth and young adults, and these new findings are evidence of a growing epidemic and a tremendously worrisome threat to the future of our nation’s health,” Ann Albright, director of CDC’s Division of Diabetes Translation, said in the release.
But there are things that can be done, the CDC says.
Adults who have the condition can decrease their risk of developing type 2 diabetes by taking part in “a structured lifestyle-change program, including weight management and exercise,” the CDC says.
Parents can encourage their children to eat healthy and take part in physical activities, the CDC says.
Communities and states can also help by supporting moms who breastfeed, working with schools and education centers to offer healthier food options and provide more physical activity opportunities, increasing “access to healthy and affordable foods” and making areas where families live safer to walk and bike in, the CDC says.
“The prevalence of prediabetes in adolescents and young adults reinforces the critical need for effective public health strategies that promote healthy eating habits, physical activity, and stress management,” CDC Director Robert R. Redfield said in the release.
This story was originally published December 3, 2019 at 5:28 PM.
