Self-perceived risk for diabetes among non-diabetic adolescents with overweight/obesity: Findings from NHANES

Aims: The prevalence of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus among adolescents in the United States continues to rise, following the trajectory of the obesity epidemic which posits not only a substantial health burden to our society, but also a significant threat to the wellbeing of America's youth. While a number of studies have explored the perception of the risk for developing diabetes in the adult population in the United States, this data is minimal for the adolescent population. In this study, we examined the self-perceived risk of diabetes among adolescents with overweight/obesity.

Methods: Cross-sectional study of 808 non-diabetic U.S. adolescents overweight or obese, ages 12-19, who completed a physical exam and in-home interview during the 2011-2014 National Heath and Nutritional Examination Survey (NHANES).

Results: Of adolescents with obesity, African Americans (aOR 0.27, 95% CI: 0.15, 0.51) and Hispanic Americans (aOR 0.50, 95% CI: 0.28, 0.90) were significantly less likely to perceive themselves as being at risk for developing diabetes/prediabetes compared to Non-Hispanic Whites. Additionally, individuals with overweight (aOR 13.1, 95% CI: 4.54, 37.5) and obesity (aOR 3.40, 95% CI: 1.71, 6.74) who had been informed by their physician that they were at risk for diabetes, were significantly more likely to perceive themselves to be at risk for diabetes.

Conclusions: Significant racial differences exist in the self-perceived risk for diabetes among U.S. adolescents with overweight and obesity. Further investigation focused on preventing the development of diabetes among at-risk adolescents who do not comprehend their risk, i.e. through more effective healthcare communication, is warranted.