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 in the morning (AM) examination session only.
Glycohemoglobin measures are also available for a full sample.

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) continue 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 were tested. This is a subsample of the NHANES and requires the use of special weights (See Analytic notes below).

Description of Laboratory Methodology

Glucose

Glucose concentration was determined by a hexokinase method. It is an endpoint enzymatic method with a sample blank correction.

There were changes to the equipment and laboratory from NHANES 2003-2004. For NHANES 2005-2006, glucose and insulin measurements were performed by the Fairview Medical Center Laboratory at the University of Minnesota and for NHANES 2003-2004 glucose and insulin measurements were performed by the Diabetes Diagnostic Laboratory at the University of Missouri-Columbia.

The following is a listing of instruments and methods used for glucose and insulin for NHANES 2003-2006:

Instruments and Methods Used for Glucose and Insulin for NHANES 2003-2006
Year Analyte  Instrument  Method 
2005-2006 Glucose Roche/Hitachi
911
Hexokinase
2003-2004 Glucose Roche Cobas
Mira
Hexokinase

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 < 9 hours, taking insulin or oral medications for diabetes, refusing phlebotomy, and not drinking all the entire Trutol solution within the allotted time.

A detailed description of the laboratory methods for OGTT can be found in the Laboratory Procedures Manual.

Data Processing and Editing

Blood specimens were processed, stored and shipped to Fairview Medical Center Laboratory at the University of Minnesota, Minneapolis Minnesota for analysis. Detailed specimen collection and processing
instructions are discussed in the NHANES LPM. Read the LABDOC file for detailed data processing and editing protocols.

Three derived variables were created in this data file. The formula for their derivation 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).

Detailed instructions on specimen collection and processing can be found on the NHANES website.

Laboratory Quality Assurance and Monitoring

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

Analytic Notes

Glucose regression equation to compare 2005-2006 data to 2003- 2004 data:

A crossover study was performed to compare the 2005-2006 Roche/Hitachi 911 glucose method to the 2003-2004 Roche Cobas Mira glucose method. A linear regression analysis was done and the following regression was obtained for glucose (mg/dL): 

Y (Cobas Mira) = 0.9835*X (Hitachi 911), n=92, r=0.9993, intercept not significant.

This regression may be used to trend the glucose data.

NHANES 2005-2006 Survey Design:

The analysis of NHANES 2005–2006 laboratory data must be conducted with the key survey design and basic demographic variables. The NHANES 2005–2006 Household Questionnaire Data Files contain demographic data, health indicators, and other related information collected during household interviews. They also contain all survey design variables for these age groups. The phlebotomy file includes auxiliary information such as the conditions precluding venipuncture. The household questionnaire and phlebotomy files may be linked to the laboratory data file using the unique survey participant identifier SEQN.

Sampling Weights

The analyst is strongly encouraged to use the fasting sampling weights in this file to analyze 2005–2006 glucose and insulin levels. There will be two weight files 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 OGTT weights and data are in a separate file (OGTT_D).

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 389074.997 Range of Values 2723 2723
. Missing 629 3352

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

Variable Name:
LBXGLT
SAS Label:
Two Hour Glucose(OGTT) (mg/dL)
English Text:
Two hour oral glucose tolerance (OGTT) (mg/dL)
Target:
Both males and females 12 YEARS - 150 YEARS
Code or Value Value Description Count Cumulative Skip to Item
31 to 490 Range of Values 2319 2319
. Missing 1033 3352

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 27.2 Range of Values 2319 2319
. Missing 1033 3352

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
0 to 64 Range of Values 3251 3251
. Missing 101 3352

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 3251 3251
. Missing 101 3352