Overweight and obese Americans should undergo screenings for diabetes five years earlier than previously advised.
The new guidance from the U.S. Preventative Services Task Force says overweight individuals should get screened at age 35, not 40.
The recommendations were published in the Journal of American Pediatrics where health officials conclude “an estimated 13% of all U.S. adults have diabetes, and 34% meet criteria for prediabetes.”
The analysis says diabetes is the leading cause of kidney failure and is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular disease.
Health officials say a focus on diet and physical activity can prevent or delay the progression of diabetes.
Diabetes is the 7th leading cause of death in the US, according to the Centers for Disease Control.