Rates of prediabetes have risen sharply among Americans in their teens or early 20s New research shows an association between prediabetes in youth and a heightened risk for complications in a pregnancy years later Prediabetes in the teen years was tied to a higher odds for gestational diabetes, high blood pressure in pregnancy and even preterm birth later TUESDAY, Sept. 24, 2024 (HealthDay News) -- If a woman is already in a "prediabetic" state in her teen or college years, her odds for a serious complication of pregnancy later in life rises, new research shows. Ignoring prediabetes in teenagers "may represent a missed opportunity to avert pregnancy-related complications" later, said study lead author .
She's an assistant professor of population health science and policy, and obstetrics, gynecology and reproductive science at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City. Her team published its findings Sept. 24 in the journal .
As the researchers explained, prediabetes occurs when blood sugar levels are higher than normal but not yet high enough to be diagnosed as type 2 diabetes. Obesity is a contributing factor to prediabetes. Prediabetes can raise a person's odds for heart disease and stroke and is more common among Black and Hispanic Americans, McCarthy's team added.
Prior research has found that rates of prediabetes have tripled among Americans ages 12 to 19 over the past decade. In the new study, the Mount Sinai team tracked rates of prediabetes (using b.