Prediabetes twice as common in overweight API adolescents: study

Prediabetes is more than twice as common in overweight or obese Asian and Pacific Islander (API) adolescents compared to their white peers, according to new research from Kaiser Permanente. The study, which reviewed health records from nearly 38,200 adolescents ages 10 to 17 in Northern California between 2012 and 2019, found that 27% of API youth with overweight or obesity had prediabetes, compared to 12% of white youth with similar weight status.

Researchers also identified significant differences among API subgroups. Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander adolescents had the highest prediabetes prevalence at 32%. South Asian youth followed at 31%, with Filipino adolescents at 28%, Chinese adolescents at 26% and Vietnamese adolescents at 18%. Study authors noted that this variation underscores the importance of collecting data on specific ethnic subgroups rather than treating Asian and Pacific Islander populations as a single category.

Joan C. Lo, the study’s senior author, said about one in API adolescents with overweight or obesity are affected by prediabetes. “This has important public health implications, and it suggests that Asian and Pacific Islander adolescents with overweight or obesity should be considered a high-risk population for whom prediabetes screening is essential,” she explained. Adrian Matias Bacong, a co-author, added that beyond screening, timely and effective intervention is essential to prevent the onset of type 2 diabetes in these youths.

Efforts to curb high rates of undiagnosed diabetes in API communities are gaining ground at the policy level. This week, the New York State Senate passed legislation requiring health insurance companies to cover diabetes screenings for patients at a lower body mass index, beginning at a BMI of 23. The bill eliminates deductibles and copayments for these screenings and aligns with recommendations from the American Diabetes Association and Centers for Disease Control.