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Published on: February 2, 2017
Random Blood Glucose Concentrations and their Association with Body Mass Index in Indian School Children
Anuradha V Khadilkar1, Nikhil Lohiya1, Sejal Mistry1
1Department of Paediatric and Endocrine, Hirabai Cowasji Jehangir Medical Research Institute, Jehangir Hospitals, Pune, Maharashtra, India.
Insights
Overweight and obese Indian children show concerning rates of elevated random blood glucose, a sign of prediabetes. Risk factors include male gender, urban living, older age, and being overweight or obese, necessitating tailored prevention strategies.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric Endocrinology
- Public Health Nutrition
- Metabolic Disorders
Background:
- Overweight and obesity in children increase the risk of type 2 diabetes mellitus.
- Elevated random blood glucose levels serve as an early indicator of glycemic dysregulation.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess random blood glucose (RBG) concentrations in Indian children aged 3-18 years.
- To identify risk factors associated with prediabetes in this population across six Indian regions.
Main Methods:
- A multicenter, cross-sectional, observational school-based study involving multi-stage stratified random sampling.
- Measurement of height, weight, body mass index (BMI), and random blood glucose (RBG) using a glucometer.
- Analysis of dietary patterns and statistical analysis using SPSS 25.0.
Main Results:
- Data from 14,339 children revealed a 5.8% obesity and 10.6% overweight prevalence.
- 5.3% of children had elevated RBG (>7.2 mmol/L), with higher concentrations correlating with increased BMI.
- Prediabetes risk was associated with male gender, urban residency, older age, and overweight/obesity.
Conclusions:
- The rising prevalence of overweight, obesity, and prediabetes in Indian children is a significant public health concern.
- Regional variations in RBG and BMI suggest the need for customized strategies to prevent obesity and manage blood sugar levels.
Objective And Aims:
Overweight/obese children are at risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus. Random glucose elevations provide early warning signs of glycemic dysregulation. To assess random blood glucose (RBG) concentrations and risk factors associated with prediabetes in children aged 3-18 years from six Indian regions.
Method:
Multicenter, cross sectional, observational school-based study; multi-stage stratified random sampling was carried out. Height and weight measured; body mass index (BMI) was computed. RBG measured using a glucometer. National sample survey was used for dietary patterns. Data were analyzed using SPSS 25.0 for Windows.
Setting:
Study centers were from Maharashtra, Gujarat, Chhattisgarh, Assam, Tamil Nadu and Punjab from 40 selected schools.
Participant:
Children aged 3-18 years were measured.
Results:
Data on 14339 subjects (7413 boys) were analyzed. Prevalence of obesity was 5.8% and overweight-10.6%. Overall, 1% had low (<3 mmol/L), 93.7% in reference range (3.9-7.2 mmol/L) and 5.3% had elevated RBG (>7.2 mmol/L). With increasing mean BMI, there was increase in RBG concentrations. Children from Tamil Nadu were more likely to have RBG outside reference range compared to other regions (P < 0.05). Assam and Punjab had highest prevalence of RBG and BMI within reference range. Energy intake partly explained regional variations. Multivariate analysis showed male gender, urban residency, age >10 yrs (girls) and 13 yrs (boys), and overweight or obesity were predictive of prediabetes.
Conclusion:
Increased prevalence of overweight, obesity and prediabetes in Indian children are a matter of concern. Regional differences suggest that strategies to prevent obesity and combat perturbations in blood sugar may have to be customized.
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