Food pantry Discover the crisis of hidden diabetes in the west Chicago

In the last article published in the journal Scientists studied the prevalence and self -awareness of pre -diabetes and diabetes in a population experiencing a lack of food safety to two pantry, except for the Church of Hunger and Harmony, in the west Chicago.

Their findings indicate the high incidence of diabetes and pre -diabetes among this population, with many patients unaware of their condition and try to control blood sugar levels.

Background

The eighth most common cause of mortality in the US is diabetes (DM), which is closely associated with serious complications, such as neuropathy, kidney disease and cardiovascular disease. Type 2 (T2DM) diabetes usually develops gradually when insulin resistance increases and beta cells are exhausted.

Many people remain unrecognized over the years during the stage produced as Prediabetes, characterized by A1C levels from 5.7%to 6.4%, at normal levels defined as less than 5.7%, and diabetes as greater than 6.4%. In 2021, it is estimated that over 97 million Americans have pre -rag. Although pharmacotherapy is necessary for T2DM management, lifestyle modifications focusing on exercises and diet are necessary.

However, incomplete foods face serious challenges, maintaining a healthy diet because of limited access to nutritious foods. It is estimated that 12.8% of American households reported a lack of food safety in 2022. It seems that the lack of food safety is strongly associated with a higher diabetes indicator and delayed detection of diseases.

Despite the agreed relationship between T2DM and the lack of food safety, little research studied and aware of diabetes in food related populations.

About the study

This study concerned an important research gap, studying the dissemination of prediators and diabetes in the food disability community, emphasizing the need for targeted education and preventive efforts.

Cardiometbabbolic Health Initiative (Chi), founded by medical students, is an interdisciplinary group that includes health trainers, health care workers, students, nurses and doctors. Chi offers free cardiometabolic shows in a food pantry serving food populations and underfunded populations in the west Chicago.

This retrospective study collected data from August 2023 to December 2024 during screening events. In total, 191 patients were examined using the A1C hemoglobin (HBA1C) test. Patients were classified on the basis of A1C results: normally, if their A1C was below 5.7%, pre -diabetes, if they were in the range from 5.7 to 6.4%, i.e. diabetes, if the levels were greater than 6.4%. Diabetes diagnoses were also registered.

Power analysis confirmed that the size of the sample was sufficient to detect a 10% difference in dissemination of diabetes and pre -diabetes compared to national estimates.

Scientists analyzed the relationship between the status of diabetes reported by patients and their measured A1C level in order to assess the dissemination, awareness and control of the disease in the population. In particular, they assessed the percentage of people with controlled (A1C <7%) versus uncontrolled diabetes (A1c >7%) among people who applied for diabetes and identified undiagnosed cases based on increased A1C among people who did not report the diagnosis.

The discoveries were aimed at providing insight into the load on diabetes and pre -destruction among the disabled and emphasizing the gaps in diagnosing and management.

Arrangements

In total, 191 patients underwent A1C tests, of which 63% identified as a female. On average, patients were 54 years old, and patients from the group who reported DM were older (60.6 compared to 52.2).

In general, the body mass index (BMI) was 29.2 kg/m², which was slightly higher in the DM group (31.1 compared to 28.7 kg/m²). Men who reported diabetes had a much higher waist circumference (112.6 cm) than men who are not (97.9 cm); Among women, the difference was less clear (96.9 cm vs. 100.7 cm). The group of diabetes he reported had 45% of black or African Americans and 45% Latin or Latin; The group was not affected by 37% black and 43% Latinos, without significant differences between groups.

The total A1C average was just over 6%. Half of the patients had incorrect A1C levels: 35% were pre -diabetes and 15% were diabetic. In the group that reported DM, the average A1C level was 7.6%, with 24 patients show controlled and 18 shows uncontrolled diabetes. In a group that did not report DM, 90 patients had normal A1C, 56 were pre -cluster, and 3 had A1C in diabetic, which indicates previously unrecognized diabetes. This is represented by 38% with prediabet and 2% with undiagnosed diabetes in an uninvited group.

Conclusions

In this study, it showed a high incidence of pre -diabetes and diabetes in a population experiencing a lack of food safety in the west Chicago, with 50% of people have incorrect A1C levels. Among the surveyed persons, 22% reported diagnosis of diabetes, which is almost twice as high as the national average of 10.7%, which complies with previous findings that food uncertainty increases the risk of chronic disease.

Poor access to healthy food can lead to an unhealthy diet, poor glycemic control and complications, such as cardiovascular diseases and kidney disease. It is worth noting that 38% of patients without a previous diagnosis of diabetes had a1C pre -source levels, and three were newly identified as diabetes, emphasizing the importance of routine tests in endangered populations.

The study also refers to the arrangements from a 30-year intervention lifestyle study shown that changes in diet and exercises have significantly reduced the progress of diabetes, cardiovascular events and mortality for any reason.

The authors of the study recognized some restrictions on their analysis, including their rely on the status of diabetes they reported, which may underestimate unrecognized cases, and focusing on the population of uncertain food in western Chicago, which limits a wider generalization.

Discoveries suggest an urgent need for social research, health education initiatives and available preventive services to limit unrecognized and uncontrolled diabetes among the population of food anxiety.