A research team has created a detailed dataset for studying youth diabetes and prediabetes using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 1999 and 2018. The dataset, presented through the newly introduced Prediabetes/diabetes in youth ONline Dashboard (POND), is designed to encourage further research into the growing concern of diabetes among young individuals.
The compiled dataset includes information on 15,149 teenagers in the United States aged 12 to 19, encompassing various variables such as sociodemographic factors, health conditions, dietary patterns, and lifestyle behaviors relevant to prediabetes and diabetes. The POND portal allows researchers, healthcare professionals, and the general public to explore this data, aiding in identifying factors that could impact the risk of diabetes in youth.
Dr. Nita Vangeepuram, an Associate Professor at Icahn Mount Sinai and a clinical expert on the team, emphasized the significance of the dataset in enabling the development of interventions tailored to the needs of young people at risk of prediabetes and diabetes. Dr. Gaurav Pandey, co-senior author of the study, highlighted how the dataset enables the application of advanced statistical and machine learning techniques to reveal patterns related to diabetes not previously visible due to limited public data.
The creation of the dataset and the POND web portal underscores Mount Sinai’s dedication to providing accessible health data and transparent methodology. By allowing users to interact with and analyze the comprehensive dataset, POND plays a crucial role in combating youth diabetes globally.
Dr. Bian Liu, another co-senior author, emphasized the dataset’s potential to spark future research and targeted prevention strategies by identifying both established and new variables associated with youth prediabetes and diabetes. The researchers aim for POND to inspire detailed studies and innovative approaches to managing and preventing diabetes in younger populations.
The importance of this research is heightened by the projected increase in diabetes cases among young people globally, posing a significant public health challenge. The team’s efforts to simplify access to vital health data through POND could lead to breakthroughs in understanding and addressing diabetes in youth populations.
The study received funding from the National Institutes of Health grants #s R21DK131555 and R01HG011407.
