Conclusions HbA1c is neither sensitive nor specific for detecting pre‐diabetes ; fasting glucose is specific but not sensitive .
Interventions in people classified through screening as having pre‐diabetes have some efficacy in preventing or delaying onset of type 2 diabetes in trial population s. As screening is inaccurate , many people will receives an incorrect diagnosis and be referred on for interventions while others will be falsely reassured and not offered the intervention .
These findings suggest that “ screen and treat ” policies alone are unlikely to have substantial impact on the worsening epidemic of type 2 diabetes .
& NA ; Objectives To assess diagnostic accuracy of screening tests for  pre‐diabetes  and efficacy of interventions ( lifestyle or metformin ) in preventing onset of type 2 diabetes in people with pre‐diabetes .
Can life-styles of subjects with impaired glucose tolerance be changed? A feasibility study.
Thirty-one subjects with impaired glucose tolerance were r and omly allocated to a group receiving advice to improve their diet and physical activity levels over 6 months ( n = 23 ) or to a control group ( n = 8) . At 6 months , 18 of the 23 subjects receiving ' healthy living ' advice  were re-examined ( five subjects had withdrawn ) . Fourteen of the 18 subjects showed an alteration in diet or an increase in exercise . The 18 subjects re-evaluated showed a reduction in systolic blood pressure ( 118 + /- 15 vs 124 + /- 15 mmHg , p less than 0.05 ) and decrease in total plasma cholesterol ( 4.5 + /- 1 vs 5.2 + /- 1 mmol l-1 , p less than 0.01 ) and LDL-cholesterol levels ( 2.8 + /- 0.9 vs 3.2 + /- 0.9 mmol l-1 , p less than 0.05 ) . Plasma glucose levels were unchanged . One subject withdrew from the control group . At 6 months , the seven control subjects examined showed no significant change in metabolic parameters , with little measurable change in diet or exercise . At 2 years , 17 of the 23 ' healthy living ' subjects were reassessed . Nine of the subjects had continued to exercise or maintained a decreased weight compared to baseline . Fasting plasma glucose levels had increased ( 6.0 + /- 1.2 vs 5.5 + /- 0.6 mmol l-1 , p less than 0.05 ) , with the only continued improvement being a reduced LDL level ( 2.8 + /- 0.7 vs 3.1 + /- 0.9 mmol l-1 , p less than 0.05 ) . At 2 years , a similar proportion of the control group were taking regular exercise compared with the ' healthy living ' group . ( ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS
Conclusions HbA1c is neither sensitive nor specific for detecting pre‐diabetes ; fasting glucose is specific but not sensitive .
Interventions in people classified through screening as having pre‐diabetes have some efficacy in preventing or delaying onset of type 2 diabetes in trial population s. As screening is inaccurate , many people will receives an incorrect diagnosis and be referred on for interventions while others will be falsely reassured and not offered the intervention .
These findings suggest that “ screen and treat ” policies alone are unlikely to have substantial impact on the worsening epidemic of type 2 diabetes .
& NA ; Objectives To assess diagnostic accuracy of screening tests for  pre‐diabetes  and efficacy of interventions ( lifestyle or metformin ) in preventing onset of type 2 diabetes in people with pre‐diabetes .