Prediabetes awareness is not associated with lower consumption of self-reported added sugar in U.S. adults

Adults aware of having prediabetes report engaging in dietary risk-reduction behavior changes. However, no studies have assessed if prediabetes awareness influences self-reported consumption of added sugar.

Cross-sectional data from 3314 adults, 20 years and older, with prediabetes were analyzed from 2013-2018 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data. Survey-weighted ordinary least squares regression was used to test whether prediabetes awareness was associated with usual intake of added sugar (g/day) using the National Cancer Institute Method by age, sex, and race/Hispanic origin after controlling for sociodemographic covariates.

Among 3314 adults with prediabetes, 528 reported being aware and 2786 reported being unaware of their condition. Prediabetes awareness was not significantly associated with added sugar consumption (estimated difference 1.7 g; 95% CI: - .80, 4.20; P = .18). There were no significant differences in added sugar consumption among those aware of their condition for age, sex, or race/Hispanic origin (Type 3 test for age: P = .15, male: P = .86, race, and Hispanic origin: P = .89).

Adults with prediabetes, aware of their condition, do not consume significantly lower quantities of added sugar compared to unaware adults, including no differences observed by age, sex, and race/Hispanic origin.