1 in 5 Healthy Adults Have Prediabetic Metabolism, New Study Shows

These healthy adults were identified using a new method of analysis developed by scientists at US-based life sciences company Click Health, which characterizes a precursor to prediabetes called impaired glucose homeostasis (IGH).

In the study, published in the journal Mayo Clinic Proceedings: Digital Health, the team stressed the need for interventions to prevent these adults from developing diabetes.

“For people with diabetes, blood sugar levels can rise and fall with sharp drops and peaks, like a wild roller-coaster ride,” said Jesse Kaufman, study lead author and research scientist at Click Labs.

“We found a similar pattern in patients with IGH, although those patterns were more like gentle waves than dramatic peaks, but interventions on this population may limit the potential for full diabetes progression,” she said.

A total of 384 people were fitted with continuous glucose monitors for the study and assessed by a physician over a two-week period.

Participants were diagnosed with diabetes, pre-diabetes or as healthy, according to guidelines outlined by the American Diabetes Association.

After applying the mathematical model, patients were re-classified into two groups based on their glucose homeostasis parameters: dominant or impaired.

“Most surprising was that 20 percent of participants who were assessed for diabetes using standard screening tools and cleared as healthy by a physician were then found to have impaired glucose homeostasis — It is now possible to provide earlier, more accurate and sensitive assessment of people’s diabetes status,” said Yann Fossat, vice president of Click Labs.

With research suggesting it is possible to reverse diabetes, or at least slow its progression, there is a growing demand for screening tools that can flag individuals at risk.

Screening and surveillance includes reviewing risk factors such as age, BMI, and family history; And the diagnosis mainly depends on blood tests like Glycated Hemoglobin (HbA1c) and Oral Glucose Tolerance Test (OGTT).

“This new method of analysis is a major step forward in the prevention and management of diabetes,” said Fawcett. “Early detection and intervention are key in the management of type 2 diabetes, so our method has the potential to have a significant impact on the lives of millions of people worldwide.”