Associated Press/ Web Desk:
According to updated national guidelines published on Tuesday, overweight and obese should start getting screened for diabetes earlier, at age 35 instead of 40.
The new advice stems from rising rates of both obesity and Type 2 diabetes, and research showing the health benefits of prevention methods and early treatment. Three out of four U.S. adults are overweight or obese, which increases their chances of developing diabetes. Among adults aged 18 and older, 14 percent already have diagnosed diabetes, and 33 percent have pre-diabetes.
The guidance from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an advisory group to the U.S. government, was published online in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It updates the task force’s 2015 recommendations and says even earlier screening should be considered for overweight or obese American Indians, Black people, Hispanics, and the other groups with disproportionately high diabetes rates.
Screening means blood tests to measure sugar levels and sometimes involve drinking a sugary liquid first. The new guidance suggests that people whose tests are normal could be screened every three years. Type 2-diabetes impairs the body’s ability to use insulin to regulate blood sugar, leading to high levels that can cause heart problems, organ damage, and blindness. Pre-diabetes means higher than normal blood sugar levels that can lead to full-blown diabetes.
Type 2 diabetes incidence has increased in recent years along with obesity rates. A 2001-17 report in the same journal shows the rate nearly doubled in kids aged 10-19, jumping from 34 cases per 100,000 kids to 67 per 100,000.
The task force’s guidance says evidence shows diet and physical activity can prevent or delay diabetes in adults with pre-diabetes. A JAMA editorial says evidence shows that few U.S. adults with pre-diabetes are referred to diabetes prevention or weight loss programs that could help them avoid diabetes and its complications. It calls for a broader range of effective prevention programs that are covered by insurance and accessible to people who need them most.
