Income Disparities in Educational Institutions and the Risk of Prediabetes in Students

Income Disparities in Educational Institutions and the Risk of Prediabetes in Students

Alvin Sherman Library

Approximately thirty-five million Americans face type 2 Diabetes: a chronic health condition that results in complications like heart disease, kidney failure, and more. Most students ages 6 to 18 spend most of their time in schools, making the funding of these institutions a major factor in their health. Identifying type 2 diabetes, defined as a blood sugar greater than 126 mg/dL, is an early biomarker of type 2 diabetes, enabling early intervention. The research question is "What is the relationship between socioeconomic inequalities in education institutions and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes amongst 6-18-year-olds?"

A descriptive systematic review of recently published research from various academic databases will be conducted. The analysis will focus on studies that have data about environmental and behavioral factors within educational institutes that affect the risk of type 2 diabetes, such as the presences of vending machines, meal quality, and nutritional knowledge. Combining these data will allow a comparison between the socioeconomic status of the schools and the prevalence of type 2 diabetes amongst its pupils, thus allowing new insights to be drawn. Institutions included in this study will only include those in the US, with the criteria for type 2 diabetes. Furthermore, a school will be considered low-income if 25% of the students or more are eligible for a free/reduced-price lunch. Currently, the results and conclusion are in process and need to be approved. The findings of this study underscore the need to target health disparities within low-income educational institutions and promote a culture of healthy lifestyles.