The California Medical Association (CMA) has added its name to the numerous groups supporting the “Screen at 23” campaign, which calls for diabetes screening for Asian Americans with a body mass index (BMI) of 23 or above. 

Generally, diabetes screenings have only been considered necessary for patients with a BMI of 25 or above. However, recent research on Asian American patients from the American Diabetes Association, National Institutes of Health and Centers for Disease Control all suggest that Asian Americans should be screened for diabetes at the lower BMI of 23. 

According to the Screen at 23 campaign, the majority of Californians have either prediabetes or diabetes. Additionally, 55 percent of Asian American adults have prediabetes, while 38 percent of Asian Americans who are hospitalized have diabetes. And, unfortunately, over half of all Asian Americans who have diabetes don't know it. 

The goal of Screen at 23 is not only to educate physicians and patients to reveal undiagnosed cases of diabetes, but also to raise awareness of diabetes disparities among different ethnic groups and populations. 

For more information, go to www.screenat23.org.