Authors of a report published March 22 in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report say that just over 11% of US adults with prediabetes were told during 2009-2010 that they have the condition. The report also indicates awareness of prediabetes was low (<14%) across all population subgroups and different levels of health care access or use and other factors.

The report is based on the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES), an ongoing, stratified, multistage probability sample of the noninstitutionalized US civilian population. This analysis was conducted using data from 3 sampling cycles of NHANES, with examination response rates of approximately 77% for 2005-2006, 75% for 2007-2008, and 77% for 2009-2010.

During 2005-2010, the percentage of persons aged ≥20 years with prediabetes who were aware of their prediabetes remained low but was slightly higher during 2009-2010 (11.1%) than during 2005-2006 (7.7) During 2005-2010, prevalence of prediabetes awareness was lower among those  aged 20-44 years (5.1%) compared with persons aged 45-64 years (10.0%) and those aged ≥65 years (11.95). Age-adjusted prevalence of prediabetes awareness was lower among persons with less than a high school education (4.9%) compared with those with greater than a high school education (8.7%). Prevalence was higher among overweight (7.9%) and obese (9.9%) individuals compared with those of normal weight (4.3%). Also, it was higher among those with a family history of diabetes compared with those without (10.4% vs 6.2%).

Because the vast majority of people with prediabetes are unaware of their condition, identification and improved awareness of prediabetes are critical first steps to encourage them to make healthy lifestyle changes or to enroll in evidence-based, lifestyle-change programs aimed at preventing type 2 diabetes, say the authors.