Prevalence of Pre-Diabetes across Ethnicities: A Review of Impaired Fasting Glucose (IFG) and Impaired Glucose Tolerance (IGT) for Classification of Dysglycaemia

Abstract

Prediabetes can be defined by the presence of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and/or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT), or glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) to identify individuals at increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D). The World Health Organization (WHO, 1999) and the American Diabetes Association (ADA, 2003) utilise different cut-off values for IFG (WHO: 6.1–6.9 mmol/L; ADA: 5.6–6.9 mmol/L) but the same cut-off values for IGT (7.8–11.0 mmol/L). This review investigates whether there are differences in prevalence of IFG, IGT, and combined IFG&IGT between ethnicities, in particular Asian Chinese and European Caucasians. In total, we identified 19 studies using the WHO1999 classification, for which the average proportional prevalence for isolated (i)-IFG, i-IGT, and combined IFG&IGT were 43.9%, 41.0%, and 13.5%, respectively, for Caucasian and 29.2%, 49.4%, and 18.2%, respectively, for Asian. For the 14 studies using ADA2003 classification, the average proportional i-IFG, i-IGT, and combined IFG&IGT prevalences were 58.0%, 20.3%, and 19.8%, respectively, for Caucasian; 48.1%, 27.7%, and 20.5%, respectively, for Asian. Whilst not statistically different, there may be clinically relevant differences in the two populations, with our observations for both classifications indicating that prevalence of i-IFG is higher in Caucasian cohorts whilst i-IGT and combined IFG&IGT are both higher in Asian cohorts.

Trajectories of body mass index and waist circumference before the onset of diabetes among people with prediabetes

“…Prediabetes is a growing public health problem and affects 20e50% of adults worldwide [1]. People with prediabetes represent a heterogeneous group with different glycemic outcomes; some could progress to diabetes within a few years, while others may remain with prediabetes or return to normoglycemia [2].…”

Lifestyle intervention in individuals with impaired glucose regulation affects Caveolin-1 expression and DNA methylation

“…Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in parallel with obesity is responsible for a major reduction in life expectancy and quality of life, increasing health-care costs [1]. Prediabetes or impaired glucose regulation (IGR) is a condition that precedes T2DM and can be identified by mildly elevated glycated haemoglobin A1 c (HbA1 c) [2,3]. The mechanisms which underlie the evolution from IGR to T2DM are not currently understood.…”

‘I’m on the train and I can't stop it': Western Canadians' reactions to prediabetes and the role of self-compassion

“…The sample represents a relatively homogeneous sample with regard to gender and ethnicity, despite recruitment through doctor referral, as all participants were Caucasian and only three men volunteered. Knowing that being diagnosed with and addressing prediabetes is multifaceted based on peoples' diverse social class, ethnic and gendered backgrounds (e.g., Kautzky‐Willer, Harreiter, & Pacini, ; Yip, Sequeira, Plank, & Poppitt, ), future research is needed to replicate such work in more diverse samples to further explore these constructs. We speculate that few men volunteered for our study because men tend to be less likely to seek healthcare (e.g., Mansfield, Addis, & Mahalik, ), reducing the likelihood that they would have bloodwork completed which was a necessary step for eligibility.…”