Measuring Diabetes Risk
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Study shows new risk bar for Diabetes
The conventional wisdom of 100 milligrams of sugar per deciliter of blood as being the number to be below for reduced risk for diabetes has recently come into question. In a recent report in the New England Journal of Medicine, a study of 13,000 Israeli soldiers showed that those with levels of 90 milligrams per deciliter had the double the risk of becoming diabetic than those with levels between 50-81 milligrams per deciliter.
In the study, soldiers with levels between 95-99 milligrams per deciliter have almost three times the risk of becoming diabetic. This study shows the importance of keeping body weight down and participating in daily exercise, according to Ronald Arky of Harvard Medical School.
The study also lends credibility for the increased screening for diabetes as well as daily testing for diabetics. With the increase in obesity in the United States, it is important to screen for diabetes starting at a young age. Today's youth have become increasingly sedentary and have increased their risks for obesity and diabetes.