A new Northwestern Medicine study, soon to be published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, presents a significant shift in the approach to diabetes screening.
The research suggests that focusing on age, rather than weight, can more effectively identify individuals with prediabetes and diabetes across all racial and ethnic groups in the U.S.
Led by Dr. Matthew O’Brien, an associate professor at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine, the study advocates for screening all adults aged 35 to 70 years, regardless of their weight.
This approach contrasts with the current guidelines from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF), which recommend screening only those aged 35 to 70 who are overweight or obese.
Dr. O’Brien’s research highlights a critical issue: major racial and ethnic minority groups, particularly Asian Americans, tend to develop diabetes at lower weights compared to white adults.
Therefore, the current weight-based screening guidelines may miss early diagnosis in these groups, leading to delayed treatment and increased risks of complications.
The study underscores that racial and ethnic disparities in diabetes are persistent and unacceptable.
An equitable screening approach, like the one proposed, could help in diagnosing the disease earlier, thereby reducing disparities and preventing severe outcomes.
Notably, the study found that Asian American adults are the most likely to be overlooked under the 2021 guidelines, as they often develop diabetes and prediabetes at a normal weight.
This population represents an estimated 6 million Asian Americans with prediabetes or undiagnosed diabetes.
The Northwestern team’s research is groundbreaking as it is the first to examine the health-equity implications of current screening recommendations.
The study assessed the performance of the 2021 USPSTF recommendations, along with alternative age and Body Mass Index (BMI) cutoffs, across different racial and ethnic groups.
The findings suggest that an age-based screening strategy would be more equitable and simpler for clinicians to implement, potentially leading to greater adoption of this approach.
This change could significantly impact public health, considering that nearly half of U.S. adults have Type 2 diabetes or prediabetes, with a majority being unaware of their condition.
The study, conducted in collaboration with the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Emory University, used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys.
It paves the way for future research focused on patient and provider nudges to encourage widespread testing for diabetes and prediabetes.
This shift towards an age-based screening strategy represents a crucial step in addressing the challenge of diabetes in a more inclusive and effective manner, with the potential to improve health outcomes for millions of Americans.
If you care about blood sugar, please read studies about why blood sugar is high in the morning, and how to cook sweet potatoes without increasing blood sugar.
For more information about diabetes, please see recent studies about how to eat to prevent type 2 diabetes, and 5 vitamins that may prevent complication in diabetes.
The research findings can be found in American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
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