Table of Contents

Component Description

Diabetes mellitus was assessed by measures of fasting plasma glucose, two-hour glucose (OGTT) and serum insulin in participants, aged 12 years and over, who were examined in the morning (AM) session only. Glycohemoglobin measures were collected in a full sample and are available in a separate dataset, GLU_F.

Diabetes is a leading cause of disease and death in the United States. Eight million Americans are known to have diabetes, and an approximately equal number have undiagnosed diabetes. In 1993, nearly 18 percent of all deaths, for persons over the age of 25, were among people with diabetes. The prevalence of diabetes and overweight (one of the major risk factors for diabetes) continues to increase. Substantial new efforts to prevent or control diabetes have begun, including the Diabetes Prevention Trial and the National Diabetes Education Program.

Diabetes testing provides population data to: 1) determine a national estimate of diabetes disease prevalence (diagnosed and undiagnosed), 2) identify the risk factors of diabetes disease; 3) permit a national cohort to be established for follow-up studies of this condition; and 4) provide critical information to clinicians and public health officials for the development of preventive care and community-based interventions.

 

Eligible Sample

Participants, aged 12 years and older, who were examined in the morning session and met a 9 hour fast, were eligible. This is a subsample of the NHANES and requires the use of special weights (See Analytic Notes below).

Description of Laboratory Methodology

Plasma specimens were processed, stored and shipped to Fairview Medical Center Laboratory at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis Minnesota for analysis.
Glucose concentration was determined by a hexokinase method. It is an endpoint enzymatic method with a sample blank correction.
Beginning in 2005, an oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT) was added to the laboratory protocol. A fasting glucose blood test was performed on all participants, 12 years and older, who were examined in the morning session, after a 9 hour fast. After the initial venipuncture, participants were asked to drink a calibrated dose (generally 75 grams of glucose) of TrutolTM and had a second venipuncture 2 hours (plus or minus 15 minutes) after drinking the Trutol.
There are seven exclusion criteria including hemophilia and chemotherapy safety exclusions, fasting less than 9 hours, taking insulin or oral medications for diabetes, refusing phlebotomy, and not drinking the entire Trutol solution within the allotted time.
There were no changes (from the previous 2 years of NHANES) to equipment, lab methods, or lab site.
Detailed specimen collection and processing instructions are discussed in the NHANES Laboratory/Medical Technologists Procedures Manual (LPM).

Laboratory Quality Assurance and Monitoring

The NHANES quality control and quality assurance protocols (QA/QC) meet the 1988 Clinical Laboratory Improvement Act mandates. Detailed QA/QC instructions are discussed in the NHANES Laboratory/Medical Technologists Procedures Manual (LPM).

Data Processing and Editing

The analytical methods are described in the Description of the Laboratory Methodology section above.
One calculated variable was created in this data file. The formula for its creation is as follows:
LBXGLT and LBDGLTSI:
The fasting glucose value in mg/dL (LBXGLT) was converted to mmol/L (LBDGLTSI) by multiplying by 0.05551 (rounded to 3 decimals).

Analytic Notes

Refer to the 2011-2012 Laboratory Data Overview for general information on NHANES laboratory data.

The analysis of NHANES 2011-2012 laboratory data must be conducted using the appropriate survey design and demographic variables. The NHANES 2011-2012 Demographics File contains demographic data, health indicators, and other related information collected during household interviews as well as the sample weight variables. The Fasting Questionnaire File includes auxiliary information such as fasting status, the time of venipuncture, and the conditions precluding venipuncture. The demographics and fasting questionnaire files may be linked to the laboratory data file using the unique survey participant identifier (i.e., SEQN).
These are new variables that should help the user in the analysis of the two-hour glucose tolerance data:

GTDSCMMN is used to define
"Glucose challenge Administer Time in minutes".
GTDDR1MN is used to define:
"Time from fast glucose & challenge (min)"
GTDBL2MN is used to define:
"Time from fasting glucose & OGTT(min)"
GTDDR2MN is used to define:
"Time from glucose challenge & OGTT(min)"
GTXDRANK is used to define:
"Amount of glucose challenge the SP drank"
GTDCODE is used to define:
"Incomplete OGTT Comment Code"
 
Sampling Weights
The analyst is strongly encouraged to use the OGTT sampling weights in this file to analyze 20011–2012 two-hour OGTT glucose levels.

There will be two weight variables associated with the subsample for the diabetes data. Use the fasting sample weights (WTSFA2YR) when analyzing the fasting glucose and insulin levels only. Use the OGTT sample weights (WTSOG2YR) when analyzing the insulin, fasting AND OGTT glucose levels or when analyzing ONLY OGTT glucose levels. NOTE: the fasting glucose and insulin weights and data are in a separate file (GLU_F).

Please refer to the NHANES Analytic Guidelines and the on-line NHANES Tutorial  for further details on the use of sample weights and other analytic issues.

Codebook and Frequencies

SEQN - Respondent sequence number

Variable Name:
SEQN
SAS Label:
Respondent sequence number
English Text:
Respondent sequence number.
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 150 YEARS

WTSOG2YR - OGTT Subsample 2 Year MEC Weight

Variable Name:
WTSOG2YR
SAS Label:
OGTT Subsample 2 Year MEC Weight
English Text:
OGTT Subsample 2 Year MEC Weight
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
0 to 565085.973 Range of Values 2815 2815
. Missing 0 2815

GTDSCMMN - Glucose challenge Administer Time in min

Variable Name:
GTDSCMMN
SAS Label:
Glucose challenge Administer Time in min
English Text:
Glucose challenge Administer Time in minutes
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
0 to 10 Range of Values 2329 2329
. Missing 486 2815

GTDDR1MN - Time from fast glucose & challenge(min)

Variable Name:
GTDDR1MN
SAS Label:
Time from fast glucose & challenge(min)
English Text:
Time from fast glucose & challenge(min)
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
0 to 49 Range of Values 2329 2329
. Missing 486 2815

GTDBL2MN - Time from fasting glucose & OGTT (min)

Variable Name:
GTDBL2MN
SAS Label:
Time from fasting glucose & OGTT (min)
English Text:
Time from fasting glucose & OGTT (min)
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
7 to 167 Range of Values 2287 2287
. Missing 528 2815

GTDDR2MN - Time from glucose challenge & OGTT(min)

Variable Name:
GTDDR2MN
SAS Label:
Time from glucose challenge & OGTT(min)
English Text:
Time from glucose challenge & OGTT(min)
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
92 to 145 Range of Values 2287 2287
. Missing 528 2815

GTXDRANK - Amount of glucose challenge drank

Variable Name:
GTXDRANK
SAS Label:
Amount of glucose challenge drank
English Text:
Amount of glucose challenge drank
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1 All 2321 2321
2 Some 3 2324
3 None 92 2416
. Missing 399 2815

PHAFSTHR - Total length of 'food fast', hours

Variable Name:
PHAFSTHR
SAS Label:
Total length of 'food fast', hours
English Text:
Total length of 'food fast', hours
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
8 to 23 Range of Values 2815 2815
. Missing 0 2815

PHAFSTMN - Total length of 'food fast', minutes

Variable Name:
PHAFSTMN
SAS Label:
Total length of 'food fast', minutes
English Text:
Total length of 'food fast', minutes
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
0 to 59 Range of Values 2815 2815
. Missing 0 2815

GTDCODE - Incomplete OGTT Comment Code

Variable Name:
GTDCODE
SAS Label:
Incomplete OGTT Comment Code
English Text:
Incomplete OGTT Comment Code
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
0 OGTT complete 2287 2287
20 Hemophiliac 0 2287
21 Cancer chemotherapy within 4 weeks 0 2287
22 Diabetic on medications 290 2577
23 Refused venipuncture 2 2579
24 Ill/faint during test 10 2589
25 Venipuncture unsuccessful 17 2606
26 Currently pregnant 0 2606
27 Refused glucose challenge 42 2648
28 Fasting less than 9 hours 3 2651
29 Came late/left early 10 2661
30 Other 154 2815
. Missing 0 2815

LBXGLT - Two Hour Glucose(OGTT) (mg/dL)

Variable Name:
LBXGLT
SAS Label:
Two Hour Glucose(OGTT) (mg/dL)
English Text:
Two Hour Glucose(OGTT) (mg/dL)
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
31 to 539 Range of Values 2287 2287
. Missing 528 2815

LBDGLTSI - Two Hour Glucose(OGTT) (mmol/L)

Variable Name:
LBDGLTSI
SAS Label:
Two Hour Glucose(OGTT) (mmol/L)
English Text:
Two Hour Glucose(OGTT) (mmol/L)
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
1.721 to 29.92 Range of Values 2287 2287
. Missing 528 2815