The Presence of Risk Factors for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Underserved Preschool Children

Abstract

This study identified risk factors (ie, high-risk racial/ethnic group, overweight/obesity, elevated blood pressure, elevated casual blood glucose, and the presence of acanthosis nigricans) for the development of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) in underserved children with or without a family history of diabetes during annual preschool health screenings. Early identification of risk factors for the development of T2DM will allow for effective interventions to be implemented, thus, improving the long-term health-related quality of life of at-risk children.

Keywords: African Americans; Health screening; Preschool children; Risk factors; Type 2 diabetes mellitus.