Serum glucose level of healthy adolescents within Bukuru metropolis, Jos South Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria

PURPOSE: This study was designed to determine the blood glucose level of healthy adolescents living in the southern region of Plateau State in northern Nigeria. DESIGN: The study screened apparently healthy adolescents to identify individuals at high risk of developing diabetes mellitus. METHODS AND MATERIALS: Individuals who were confirmed healthy and not on any form of medication were enrolled in the study after the administration of a questionnaire which ruled out any form of aliment such as fever, gastroenteritis, and malaria. The serum glucose level was quantified using the glucose oxidase reagent. Data generated were analyzed using Excel 2007 (Microsoft(®), Redmond, WA) and Student’s t-test for an established normal range. RESULTS: The age distribution showed that those aged 14–16 years had a mean serum glucose level of 4.8 ± 1.11 mmol/L, while in those aged 17–19 years it was 4.9 ± 1.115 mmol/L, with a standard error of the mean of 0.17 and 0.15, respectively. The mean glucose level, weight, and height of the enrollees were 4.8 ± 1.12 mmol/L, 56.6 ± 6.20 kg, and 1.6 ± 0.009 m, respectively. The mean serum glucose of those from the Berom tribe and other tribes was 4.9 ± 1.21 mmol/L and 4.8 ± 1.15 mmol/L, respectively. Analysis of the mean glucose level with respect to sex, age, tribe, weight, and height of the established normal mean resulted in a P value of <0.05, which was not significant. CONCLUSION: There was no significant difference in the serum glucose level of enrolled subjects. It was also observed that there was no significant difference between the glucose level based on the different tribes, sex, weight, and height of all enrolled subjects. Since glucose is involved with various body metabolic processes and is also an analyte of interest in diabetes mellitus, screening of adolescents would reduce the incidence of the disease.