An Accurate Risk Score Based on Anthropometric, Dietary, and Lifestyle Factors to Predict the Development of Type 2 Diabetes
Response to Schwarz et al.
- Matthias B. Schulze, DRPH1,
- Hans-Ulrich Häring, MD2,
- Andreas F.H. Pfeiffer, MD34 and
- Hans-Georg Joost, MD, PHD5
- 1Department of Epidemiology, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Nuthetal, Germany
- 2Department of Internal Medicine IV, University of Tübingen, Tübingen, Germany
- 3Department of Clinical Nutrition, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Nuthetal, Germany
- 4Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Nutrition, Charite-University Medicine Berlin, Berlin, Germany
- 5Department of Pharmacology, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Nuthetal, Germany
- Address correspondence to Matthias B. Schulze, Department of Epidemiology, German Institute of Human Nutrition Potsdam-Rehbruecke, Arthur Scheunert Allee 114-116, 14558 Nuthetal, Germany. E-mail: mschulze{at}dife.de
Schwarz et al. (1) suggest that the Finnish risk score FINDRISC is the ideal tool to be used in primary diabetes prevention programs (1). They argue that FINDRISC is simple to understand, does not require laboratory measurements, and is not restricted to computer users. However, in the representative German MONICA (Monitoring of Trends and Determinants in Cardiovascular Disease)/KORA (Cooperative Health Research in the Region of Augsburg) Study, the Finnish Diabetes Risk Score (DRS) (2), on which FINDRISC is based, poorly predicted undiagnosed diabetes (3). Based on this result, using the Finnish DRS, one would have to provide prevention programs to more than one-half of the adult population in …
