Asian-Americans need to undergo diabetes screenings at a lower body weight than other groups, according to new guidelines from the American Diabetes Association (ADA).
Generally, Americans are screened for diabetes once they reach a body mass index (BMI) - a standard measurement of weight versus height - of 25, reported WedMD. These new guidelines will require Asian-Americans to be tested for the disease if they have a BMI of 23 or higher.
Those with a BMI of at least 25 are considered "overweight" and obesity begins with a BMI of 30, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health.
It's believed that Asian-Americans develop diabetes at a lower BMI due to differences in their body composition, which is why they should be screened when they hit a lower BMI than others, according to the ADA guidelines.
Asians tend to put on weight around the waist, rather than the thighs and other body parts, which creates a greater risk for health issues, reported WebMD.
"Clinicians have known this intuitively for quite some time," statement lead author Dr. William Hsu, vice president of international programs at the Joslin Diabetes Center and assistant professor at Harvard Medical School, said in an ADA news release.
"They can see that Asian-Americans are being diagnosed with diabetes when they do not appear to be overweight or obese according to general standards. But if you use the previous association standard for diabetes screening of being age 45 or older with a BMI of [25] or above, you will miss many Asian-Americans who are at risk."
Although percautionary early screenings helps prevent diabetes, Dr. Ronald Tamler, clinical director of the Mount Sinai Diabetes Center at The Mount Sinai Hospital in New York City, told WebMD that "true diabetes prevention goes beyond merely measuring height and weight. Health care providers need to have a deeper understanding of culinary and cultural traditions that profoundly impact metabolic health."
The new recommendation will be published in the January issue of Diabetes Care.
