OBJECTIVE - Using population based data, we estimated the prevalence of diabetes, impaired fasting glucose, and elevated HbA(1c) (>6%) levels in U.S. adolescents. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS - The Third National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1988-1994) examined a representative sample of the U.S. population, which included 2,867 adolescents aged 12-19 years who had serum glucose measured. RESULTS - A total of 13 adolescents in the: sample were considered to have diabetes: 9 reported using insulin, 2 reported using oral agents only, and 2 did not report any treatment but had high glucose levels (greater than or equal to 11.1 mmol/l regardless of length of fast or greater than or equal to7.0 mmol/l after an 8-h fast). Four of these cases (31% of the sample with diabetes) were considered to have type 2 diabetes. The estimated prevalence of diabetes (all types) per 100 adolescents ages 12-19 years was 0.41% (95% confidence interval 0-0.86). The prevalence of impaired fasting glucose (greater than or equal to6.1 mmol/l) among adolescents without diabetes who had tasted for at least 8 h was 1.76% (0.02-3.50). The prevalence of elevated HbA(1c) (>6%) was 0.39% (0.04-0.74). CONCLUSIONS - National data reflect the presence of type 2 diabetes in U.S. adolescents, but the survey sample size was not large enough to obtain precise prevalence estimates because of the relatively low prevalence.
