Tracking correlations and predictors of plasma glucose in young adulthood: A comprehensive analysis from adolescence to young adulthood in TLGS study

Aims: We investigated the tracking correlations between fasting plasma glucose (FPG) in adolescence with both FPG and 2-hour post-load glucose (2 h-PG) in adulthood, and identified the predictors of FPG and 2 h-PG in young adulthood using traditional risk factors during adolescence and adulthood. Methods: We included 2188 participants (1033 male) from the Tehran lipid and glucose study within the age ranges 11 -18 and 19 -40 years during 1999 -2018. The area under the curve (AUC) was computed using the growth curve models, and predictors were identified by the linear regression model. Results: The partial correlation between AUCs of FPG in adolescence and adulthood was 0.37 (P < 0.001). The correlation between AUCs of FPG in adolescence and 2 h-PG in adulthood was 0.17 (P < 0.001). The AUC of FPG was a significant positive predictor for both FPG and 2 h-PG in young adulthood. Other predictors of adult FPG included sex, as well as BMI and the ratio of triglycerides to HDL-cholesterol during both adolescence and adulthood. Conclusions: Tracking correlation was observed for FPG, suggesting that monitoring and managing risk factors in adolescence may have implications for future glucose metabolism in young adulthood.