Social Factors Predispose Teens to Prediabetes, Pitt Study Shows
Researchers analyzed data representative of more than 10 million Americans aged 12 to 18
July 13, 2024 | Source: Pittsburgh Post-Gazette | by Hanna Webster
It’s not just about blood pressure and heart rate — a new study from the University of Pittsburgh links three social determinants of health to increased risk for teen prediabetes.
Looking specifically at food insecurity, household income and insurance (public vs. private), authors of the study — published in JAMA Network Open in June — call for an update of prediabetes and diabetes screening guidelines independent of race, in order to more comprehensively address the social factors that may be contributing to a person’s overall health.
Currently, the American Diabetes Association outlines four risk factors for adolescents, and only one risk factor needs to be met to justify a prediabetes screening: family history of diabetes, maternal history of diabetes during gestation, signs of insulin resistance, or being of Native American, Black, Asian, Pacific Islander or Latino descent.
That someone’s race alone can spur screening is a sticking point: Mary Ellen Vajravelu, senior author on the paper, and her team suggest a more holistic approach to understanding prediabetes risk.