Diabetic groups as defined by ADA and NDDG criteria have a similar aerobiccapacity, blood pressure and body composition

Aims/hypothesis. In 1997 the American Diabetes Association (ADA) published new categories for diabetes based on fasting plasma glucose that classified diabetes as a plasma glucose of 7.0 mmol/l, or more, rather than one of 7. 8 mmol/l or more, as published previously by the National Diabetes Data Gro up (NDDG) in 1979. We compared the cardiovascular disease risk factors of s ubjects classified as having Type II (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes melli tus under the NDDG and ADA criteria. Methods. We examined a database of approximately 3700 men (40.4 +/- 11.5yea rs old) and distributed them into four categories: normal fasting plasma gl ucose (NFG) of less than 6.1 mmol/l, impaired (IFG) 6.1 to 7.0 mmol/l, ADA diabetic 7.0 to 7.8 mmol/l and NDDG diabetic of 7.8 mmol/l or more. Results. Fasting glucose was 5.2 +/- 0.5, 6.4 +/- 0.2, 7.3 +/- 0.2 and 11.2 +/- 2.9 mmol/l for the subjects of the NFG, IFG, ADA and NDDG groups, resp ectively. Estimated treadmill VO2max was 41.4 +/- 8.0, 36.0 +/- 7.8, 32.2 /- 7.6, 30.6 +/- 7.0 ml.kg(-1) min(-1) in the NFG, IFG, ADA, and NDDG group s, respectively (NFG and IFG > ADA and NDDG: p < 0.05). The ADA and NDDG gr oups were also similar for resting and exercise blood pressure and body com position. Triglycerides and total: HDL cholesterol ratios were higher and L DL cholesterol concentration was lower, in the NDDG group than in all other groups (P < 0.05). Total and LDL cholesterol in the ADA and NDDG groups we re similar. Conclusion/interpretation. The similarities in the aerobic capacities, bloo d pressure and body composition of the ADA and NDDG groups indicate that th e decision to lower the cut-off from 7.8 mmol/l to 7.0 mmol/l blood glucose for the clinical classification of diabetes was appropriate. The ADA and N DDG groups, however, might not have identical risks for cardiovascular dise ase because of differences between total:HDL cholesterol ratios, circulatin g HDL cholesterol and triglyceride concentrations.