Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Task Force Pushes For Diabetes Screening At 35 For Overweight Adults
The New York Times: Overweight Adults Should Be Screened For Diabetes At 35, Experts Say
Overweight adults should be screened for Type 2 diabetes and abnormally high blood sugar levels starting at age 35, five years earlier than currently advised, an expert task force recommended on Tuesday. The new recommendation, which does not apply to pregnant women, comes amid cresting rates of obesity and diabetes in the United States. It means that more than 40 percent of the adult population should now be screened, according to one estimate. The guideline was issued by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, which makes recommendations for preventive services and screenings that insurance companies must completely cover, without out of pocket costs to the insured, under the Affordable Care Act. (Caryn Rabin, 8/24)
AP: Earlier Diabetes Tests Recommended For Overweight US Adults
The guidance from the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, an advisory group to the U.S. government, was published online in the Journal of the American Medical Association. It updates the task force’s 2015 recommendations, and says even earlier screening should be considered for overweight or obese American Indians, Black people, Hispanics and other groups with disproportionately high diabetes rates. The American Diabetes Association says overweight or obese adults of any age should be screened. Screening means blood tests to measure sugar levels and sometimes involves drinking a sugary liquid first. The new guidance suggests that people whose tests are normal could be screened every three years. (Tanner, 8/24)
On diabetes in younger people, and screening ages —
Reuters: Diabetes Surges Among American Youth, Study Shows
The number of young people with the most prevalent form of diabetes nearly doubled in the United States from 2001 to 2017, according to a study published on Tuesday. The findings showed that the rate of young people ages 10 to 19 with type 2 diabetes increased by 95% over the 16-year period. The estimated rate of youth under age 20 with type 1 diabetes grew by 45%. (Respaut and Terhune, 8/24)
Stat: Diabetes Rises In Kids, As Screening Age Drops To 35 For Overweight Adults
The age at which adults who are overweight or obese should be screened for type 2 diabetes is going down while the prevalence of both forms of the disease is going up among children and adolescents — two developments reported Tuesday that signal a growing burden of these chronic health conditions among Americans. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force lowered its recommended age to 35 — down from 40 in its 2015 guidance — to test people with above-normal BMIs for elevated glucose levels that could mean prediabetes or diabetes itself. The new evidence review and recommendations, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, would make more than 40% of adults eligible for screening, and an estimated one-third will likely meet USPSTF criteria to undertake preventive steps. (Cooney, 8/24)
Axios: Age Thresholds For Certain Health Screenings Are Getting Younger
Americans are being asked to get screened for certain diseases earlier in their lives as emerging evidence shows they are at increasing risk for diseases historically seen in older adults. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force on Tuesday lowered the recommended starting age to screen for Type 2 diabetes from age 40 to 35, and said overweight or obese adults at risk for prediabetes should be screened at ages 35 to 70. (Fernandez, 8/25)
