Prevalence of impaired glucose regulation in German school-leaving students.
The increase in prevalence of obesity in childhood and adolescence appears to be followed by a rise of type 2 diabetes (T2D) cases in youth. Studies from the United States indicated that more than 1 in 10 adolescents may have disturbed glucose metabolism and that ethnicity and socioeconomic status are major determinants of (pre) diabetes prevalence. Since data for European countries are rare, we conducted a cross-sectional survey in 721 school-leaving boys and girls (mean age 15.5 years) in Düsseldorf (Germany). In our population from a predominantly low socioeconomic background, a total of 2.5% had impaired fasting glucose, impaired glucose tolerance or T2D. Hence, our study does not confirm the alarming data from high-risk US. American populations, but, nevertheless provides evidence for the necessity of public health interventions aiming at primary prevention of obesity and T2D in children and adolescents.
Herder
C
C
German Diabetes Clinic, German Diabetes Center, Leibniz Institute at Heinrich Heine University, Düsseldorf, Germany. christian.herder@ddz.uni-duesseldorf.de
Schmitz-Beuting
C
C
Rathmann
W
W
Haastert
B
B
Schmitz-Beuting
J
J
Schäfer
M
M
Scherbaum
W A
WA
Schneitler
H
H
Martin
S
S
D000293:Adolescent; D001786:Blood Glucose; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D005260:Female; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D018149:Glucose Intolerance / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000378:metabolism / Q000517:prevention & control; D015995:Prevalence; D011634:Public Health; D012307:Risk Factors; D012923:Social Class; D013332:Student Dropouts / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood
D001786:Blood Glucose; D006442:Glycated Hemoglobin; D014280:Triglycerides