Prediabetes: An emerging public health concern in adolescents

Abstract

Summary Objectives To identify the presence of risk factors for type 2 diabetes (ethnicity, body mass index, blood glucose tolerance and blood pressure) and to determine the prevalence of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in Canadian adolescents attending two multicultural urban high schools. Methods A total of 266 multicultural urban high school students who live in a mid‐sized Western Canadian city, aged 14‐21, were screened for risk factors of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes in March‐April 2018. Data with respect to demographics, family history of diabetes, anthropometrics, blood pressure and haemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) were collected. Data analysis was done using descriptive and inferential statistics in addition to chi‐square analyses. Results Based on body mass index, 38% of the adolescents were classified as either overweight or obese. Overweight rates for females (69.8%) were double than males (30.2%); however, males (52.2%) were more likely to obese than the females (47.8%). Based on HbA1c levels, 29.3% were at high risk to develop either diabetes or prediabetes and 2.6% were classified in the prediabetes range. Prehypertension/hypertension rates of 47% in the sample increased to 51% in those adolescents with elevated HbA1c; the majority of these prehypertensive/hypertensive participants were male. Conclusion High rates of overweight/obesity and prehypertension/hypertension were found in the adolescents studied and indicated the presence of prediabetes and an increased risk to develop type 2 diabetes and associated complications. Obesity and hypertension are major risk factors for developing type 2 diabetes, resulting in earlier exposure to metabolic consequences and, ultimately, long‐term complications. Thus, timely research is needed to identify age‐appropriate strategies that address risks and to develop recommendations for routine screening of adolescents for prediabetes.

The prevalence of undiagnosed Prediabetes/type 2 diabetes, prehypertension/hypertension and obesity among ethnic groups of adolescents in Western Canada

“…Data for this analysis are derived from two previous studies [13,15] that were approved by the University Biomedical Ethics board and the northern health regions, and that received written permission from the superintendents of the school districts and the principals of the five participating high schools. A detailed description of the study methods is published elsewhere [13].…”

“…Although the prevalence of type 2 diabetes among youth of varying ethnicities has been documented, most of the data are from diabetes clinics and are focused on etiology, diagnosis, and clinical features. Findings from our previous investigation into the prevalence of undiagnosed prediabetes and type 2 diabetes indicate a disconcerting prevalence of prediabetes (10%) in adolescents living in three northern and predominantly Indigenous communities in Western Canada [13,15]. Therefore, a second study [15] was undertaken with adolescents living in a mid-sized Western Canadian city and found that 29.3% were at high risk of developing either diabetes or prediabetes and 2.6% were classified in the prediabetes range.…”

“…Findings from our previous investigation into the prevalence of undiagnosed prediabetes and type 2 diabetes indicate a disconcerting prevalence of prediabetes (10%) in adolescents living in three northern and predominantly Indigenous communities in Western Canada [13,15]. Therefore, a second study [15] was undertaken with adolescents living in a mid-sized Western Canadian city and found that 29.3% were at high risk of developing either diabetes or prediabetes and 2.6% were classified in the prediabetes range. However, no reports to date consider the unique differences between the various adolescent ethnic groups participating in the abovementioned studies in relation to the prevalence of undiagnosed prediabetes and type 2 diabetes and the associated risk factors of adolescents living in this Western Canadian province.…”

<p>Metabolic Syndrome and Prediabetes Among Yemeni School-Aged Children</p>

“…31 The prevalence of prediabetes has been reported in various countries across the world, including China (0.28%), Mexico (1.5%), Canada (2.6%), and UAE (5.4%). [32][33][34][35] In the light of the high rate of obesity and physical inactivity among children in many countries as well as the rising incidence of Type 2 DM in children in the neighboring Gulf countries and Middle East region, the aim of this study was therefore to determine the prevalence of obesity, metabolic syndrome and prediabetes in Yemeni school children aged 12-13 years old.…”

Undiagnosed prehypertension/hypertension in Canadian adolescents: The critical role of the public health nurse

“…Any adolescent ≥18 years was granted permission by the University of Saskatchewan ethics board and the school administrators to provide their own consent. Similar procedures were used between school sites and studies, as reported in Spurr et al (2017Spurr et al ( , 2019. On each day of data collection, a team of Registered Nurses (RNs) and the PI measured the BP along with the other assessments in a quiet room of the participating school.…”