Summary of Current Diabetes-related Data from the National Center for Health Statistics

The National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) conducts national studies, publishes results, and releases microdata tapes that contain information of central importance to diabetes epidemiology. The prevalence, incidence, and distribution of diabetes with associated medical conditions and therapies are available from interviews and examination study sources. Utilization patterns, multiple morbidity, and cost data for diabetic patients and others using health resources are available through studies of provider records, physician visit encounter forms, vital record follow-back questionnaires, and insurance records. The vital statistics system also provides data about mortality and its geographic distribution. In the second Health and Nutrition Examination Survey conducted by NCHS, a fasting oral glucose tolerance test was administered to 2244 persons using a 75-g glucose challenge. Blood samples were taken fasting, 1 h, and 2 h after glucose challenge. These provisional data are representative only of the sample persons ages 20–74 yr participating in the first 34 sample locations of the survey. Many facets of data evaluation remain to be explored, such as response bias and use of medications. Nevertheless, using the criteria proposed by the National Diabetes Data Group for diagnosis of diabetes, 2.7% of the sample (in which the poor and persons ages 60–74 yr are overrepresented) had fasting plasma glucose levels greater than 140 mg/dl. About 3.9% had fasting levels less than 140 mg/dl, but had 1-h and 2-h plasma glucose levels after challenge greater than or equal to 200 mg/dl. The data in final weighted form will not overrepresent specific groups in the population