The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force said overweight adults should now be screened for type 2 diabetes and prediabetes starting at age 35, down from age 40 in earlier guidance.
The new guidance, issued Aug. 24, applies to nonpregnant adults aged 35 to 70 who are overweight or obese and says screening should take place every three yeras. The task force classified it as a grade B recommendation, meaning there is "high certainty that the net benefit is moderate or there is moderate certainty that the net benefit is moderate to substantial."
"Clinicians should offer or refer patients with prediabetes to effective preventive interventions," the recommendation said. Many people who are prediabetic, or have high blood sugar levels are unaware that they're at risk of developing diabetes, which may be prevented if lifestyle changes are initiated early enough. Such interventions include diet and exercise adjustments, as well as Metformin, a diabetes medication that may prevent or delay it, the task force said.
Nearly 35 percent of U.S. adults meet criteria for prediabetes, while 13 percent have diabetes, according to the CDC's diabetes statistics report for 2020.
Screening will be free to eligible adults as the Affordable Care Act requires insurance companies to cover the task force's preventive services recommendations that are considered grade B or higher.