New guidelines proposed for blood glucose screening

The United States Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has issued draft guidelines calling for all adults age 45 and older, as well as younger adults with risk factors, to be screened for abnormal blood glucose and type 2 diabetes. Risk factors include being overweight or obese, having a first-degree relative with diabetes, a history of gestational diabetes or polycystic ovary syndrome in women, and belonging to certain ethnic/racial minority groups, including African Americans, American Indians, Asian Americans, and Hispanics/Latinos.

Detecting high blood glucose levels is key to identifying and treating diabetes, as well as informing those who have above-normal blood glucose levels that they are at an increased rick of diabetes. Lifestyle interventions, such as improvements in diet and an increase in physical activity, can bring down blood glucose levels along with diabetes risk.

According to the USPSTF, approximately 86 million Americans have abnormal blood gluocose levels, and an estimated 8 million have diabetes that has not been diagnosed.   

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