Occult glucose intolerance: incidence in a general population.

A survey of two-hour postprandial glycemic responses to an oral dose of 100 gm of glucose was conducted in 456 appparently healthy adult members of a small Southern California community. Serum glucose levels of 32 per cent of the men and 36 per cent of the women exceeded 140 mg per 100 ml at the two-hour sampling period. In both sexes, there was a tendency for hyperglycemia to become more conspicuous with age. Under the age of 50, a much higher percentage of women than men had seemingly excessive serum glucose values. These findings may suggest a need for modifying criteria currently used for interpreting glycemic responses to oral glucose challenges.