Screening for overweight and diabetes in rural Hispanic and Caucasian fifth-grade children.

Fifth-grade children were screened for overweight and diabetes and comparisons between Hispanic and Caucasian children in this rural setting are presented. Hispanic children had a significantly higher mean Body Mass Index percentile and waist circumference than Caucasians but blood glucose differences were not significant. Twenty-six percent of all children had slightly elevated glucose levels (100-125 mg per dL) and 2% had elevated levels (equal to or greater than 126 mg per dL) but none of the children were found to have diabetes.