Lifestyle-related predictors affecting prediabetes and diabetes in 20-30-year-old young Korean adults

OBJECTIVES: To investigate lifestyle-related predictors of prediabetes and diabetes in young adults aged 20–39 years using data from the 2014-2016 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES). METHODS: This study is a cross-sectional, secondary analysis using the KNHANES data. Participants were classified into normal group (fasting plasma glucose [FPG] <100 mg/dL and/or hemoglobin A1c [HbA1c] <5.7%), prediabetes group (FPG 100-125 mg/dL and/or HbA1c 5.7-6.4%), and diabetes group (FPG ≥126 mg/dL and/or HbA1c ≥ 6.5%). The data were statistically analyzed using SPSS software. RESULTS: Out of 4,190 participants, 27.7% of men and 16.3% of women were in the prediabetes group and 1.4% of men and 1.3% of women were in the diabetes group. Logistic regression confirmed that age and obesity are predictors of prediabetes and diabetes in both men and women. Additionally low physical activity and low education level are predictors of prediabetes in men and women, respectively (p<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: This study has found that age and increased obesity are predictors of elevated blood glucose in young men and women in their 20s and 30s. A strategy to lower obesity by promoting physical activity in men in their 30s is essential to prevent metabolic syndrome and progression to prediabetes.