Prevalence of prediabetes in children and adolescents by class of obesity

Summary Background To evaluate prevalence of prediabetes (impaired fasting glucose, IFG; impaired glucose tolerance, IGT; and high glycated haemoglobin, h‐HbA1c) in children and adolescents in relation to class of age and obesity; to appraise association with estimates of insulin metabolism, cardiovascular risk factors and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) levels. Methods Study of marginal prevalence (i.e., as function of sex, age and obesity class) of isolated and combined IFG, IGT and h‐HbA1c in children (age 4–9.9 years) and adolescents (age 10–17.9 years) and association to blood pressure (BP), total, HDL and non‐HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, ALT and insulin sensitivity/secretion indexes. Results Data of 3110 participants (51% males, 33% children; 33% overweight, 39% obesity class I, 20.5% class II, 7.5% class III) were available. Unadjusted prevalence of prediabetes was 13.9% in children (2.1% IFG, 6.7% IGT, 3.9% h‐HbA1c, IFG‐IGT 0.06%) and 24.6% in adolescents (3.4% IFG, 9.4% IGT, 5.5% h‐HbA1c, IFG‐IGT 0.09%). Combined h‐HBA1c was found in very few adolescents. Prevalence of prediabetes increased significantly by class of obesity up to 20.5% in children and 31.6% in adolescents. Phenotypes of prediabetes were differently but significantly associated with increased systolic and diastolic BP (by 2–7.3 and ~8 mmHg, respectively), triglycerides (by 23–66 mg/dl), and ALT levels (by 10–22 UI/L) depending on the prediabetes phenotype. Conclusion and Relevance It is worth screening prediabetes in children aged <10 years old with obesity classes II and III and in adolescents. In those with prediabetes, monitoring of blood pressure, triglycerides and ALT levels must be encouraged.