Researchers who analyzed data from the 1999-2000 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) found that 1 in 10 boys (10%) and 1 in 25 girls (4%) between the ages of 12 and 19 had a pre-diabetic condition. For overweight teens, the rate jumped to 17.8%. After an 8-hour fast, these adolescents' had a blood glucose level between 100 and 125 mg/dl, a condition known as impaired fasting glucose (IFG).
People with IFG are at increased risk for developing diabetes and cardiovascular disease as they age.
For adults, there's evidence that lifestyle changes can prevent this progression. From the National Institutes of Health (NIH):
"Progression to diabetes among those with pre-diabetes is not inevitable. Studies have shown that people with pre-diabetes who lose weight and increase their physical activity can prevent or delay diabetes and even return their blood glucose levels to normal. "
The study was published in the November issue of Pediatrics. The authors are examining whether these rates may have increased in the 5 years since their analysis.
For a summary of the study:
Study: 2M Adolescents Have Pre-Diabetes
For the study itself:
Prevalence of Impaired Fasting Glucose and Its Relationship With Cardiovascular Disease Risk Factors in US Adolescents, 1999–2000
