title: Screening blood glucose values: effects of season and time of day.
abstract: Blood glucose screening results, obtained using two different screening procedures, are reported from two occupational groups. Post-prandial blood glucose levels were measured in 3346 subjects aged 45 years or more employed by the Greater London Council/Inner London Education Authority. In women, mean blood glucose levels were higher in the afternoon than the morning (p less than 0.05). Ninety-fifth centile levels were substantially higher in the afternoon in both sexes, though the differences were not constant in all age and sex sub-groups. In both sexes mean glucose levels were highest in the winter (December-February, inclusive), but seasonal variation did not significantly affect the proportion exceeding the ninety-fifth centile for the total population. In the Whitehall study, the blood glucose was measured in men, in the morning, 2h after a 50-g glucose load. Significant seasonal variation in mean blood glucose values occurred, with highest values in winter and lowest in spring (March-May, inclusive). However, there was no significant difference by season in the proportions exceeding the arbitrary cut-off levels of 7.8 and 11.1 mmol/l.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000032:analysis*; D002940:Circadian Rhythm; D004435:Eating; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012621:Seasons; D012737:Sex Factors
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose