Glycated Hemoglobin vs. Fasting Glucose in Routine Screening of Military Aircrew
Aerospace Medicine and Human Performance
|February 16, 2026
Summary
Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) and fasting plasma glucose (FPG) are key for diabetes screening in aviation. Body fat percentage is a better predictor of dysglycemia than BMI in pilots.
Area of Science:
- Aviation Medicine
- Endocrinology
- Aerospace Physiology
Background:
- Diabetes screening is critical for flight safety in aviation medicine.
- This study focuses on Polish Air Force pilots aged 45 and older.
- Assessing prediabetes and diabetes prevalence is vital for this demographic.
Purpose of the Study:
- Compare diagnostic performance of FPG and HbA1c in pilots.
- Optimize screening protocols for abnormal glucose metabolism.
- Examine associations between age, BMI, body fat, and dysglycemia.
Main Methods:
- Included 175 military flight personnel undergoing medical exams.
- Excluded individuals with diagnosed diabetes.
- Measured FPG, HbA1c, age, BMI, and body fat percentage; used multivariate regression.
Main Results:
- HbA1c identified 30.3% prediabetic, 1.1% diabetic; FPG identified 53.1% prediabetic, 3.4% diabetic.
- Body fat percentage was more strongly associated with HbA1c than age or BMI.
- Only 23.4% had normal BMI, while 37% had normal body fat percentage.
Conclusions:
- HbA1c is practical and cost-effective for detecting dysglycemia in aircrew, complementing FPG.
- HbA1c implementation streamlines periodic evaluations and reduces further testing.
- Body fat percentage is a more reliable predictor of dysglycemia than BMI in this population.
Keywords:
HbA1caviation medicinebody fat percentagediabetesfasting plasma glucoseglycated hemoglobinprediabetesMore Related Videos
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