Abstract: The invention relates to a method of diagnosing and treating individuals with diabetes or at risk to develop diabetes mellitus. In particular, gastric emptying determinations are used to assess risk. Risk or early symptoms associated with subsequent development of diabetes mellitus may be controlled or alleviated by delaying gastric emptying. Delay or inhibition of gastric emptying is sufficient to restore gastric emptying within normal ranges as determined by restoration of typical glucose metabolic parameters such as blood glucose and insulin levels to normal or near normal ranges. The method is also useful in prophylactic treatment of individuals at high risk to develop diabetes mellitus, such as the obese, those with a family history of diabetes and those of particular ethnic and minority groups.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of diagnosing and treating individuals with diabetes or at risk to develop diabetes mellitus. In particular, gastric emptying determinations are used to assess risk. Risk or early symptoms associated with subsequent development of diabetes mellitus may be controlled or alleviated by delaying gastric emptying. Delay orThe Government may have certain rights in the invention pursuant to grant No. 2-S07-RR07187-11.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for measuring glucose tolerance in a subject. The methods are useful in a variety of contexts, such as in the diagnosis of diabetes in both human and animal subjects, in assessing gastric emptying times, and even in the diagnosis of insulin resistance. It is proposed that the methods of the present invention will prove to be of particular use in the mass screenings of population, e.g., in screening for type II diabetes mellitus, due to its simplicity and reproducibility. The method is even adaptable to simple finger stick analysis. The invention method includes the use of a potable beverage containing a low total loading dose of glucose in a low osmolar solution. The oral glucose solutions of the present invention empty rapidly from the stomach, thereby eliminating the nausea and vomiting typically associated with oral glucose tolerance tests.