title: The Prevalence of Diabetes and Prediabetes Among Elementary School Children in Birjand.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetes is associated with increased cardiovascular disease, mortality and morbidity.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The present study aimed at assessing fasting blood sugar (FBS) in elementary school students in Birjand, 2012.
  
  
  METHODS
  This cross-sectional and descriptive study was done on 1530 elementary school students who had been selected through multiple cluster sampling. FBS of these students was tested applying the enzymatic process. The obtained data was analyzed by means of SPSS software (v15) and statistical tests t and X(2).
  
  
  RESULTS
  In this study, 833 girls and 697 boys were evaluated. Mean FBS of the whole study population was 86.9 ± 8.8 mg/dL; FBS was higher in boys compared to girls. FBS of 1453 (95%) children was < 100 mg/dL, the mean being 85.8 ± 6.8 mg/dL. FBS of 698 (45.6%) students of the above population was 86-99 mg/dl. It was 100-125 mg/dL in 72 (4.7%) individuals. Five (0.3%) students had FBS >126 mg/dL. Mean FBS increased in proportion to age, which was statistically significant.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Although the prevalence of diabetes is not considerable; however, based on the relatively high portion of those children with high degree of blood glucose in the range in which the risk of diabetes and prediabetes in the following years rises dramatically, the need for further care of health authorities, an extensive screening activity, and undertaking intervening measures to prevent the epidemic of diabetes and consequently cardiovascular disease is emphasized.
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Birjand Atherosclerosis and Coronary Artery Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Tayyebeh
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chahkandi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Birjand Atherosclerosis and Coronary Artery Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Fatemeh
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Taheri
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Birjand Atherosclerosis and Coronary Artery Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Toba
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kazemi
authors.affiliation: Department of Pediatrics, Birjand Atherosclerosis and Coronary Artery Research Center, Birjand University of Medical Sciences, Birjand, IR Iran.
authors.forename: Bita
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Bijari
keywords: Blood Glucose; Child; Diabetes Mellitus; Prediabetic State