Li S, et al. - This study draws on data from a large-scale prospective cohort study in a single health centre in Beijing to examine the relationship between serum bicarbonate and the risk of progressing to impaired fasting glucose (IFG)/diabetes mellitus (DM). In this 6-year observational study, researchers recruited 5318 members aged 18–70 years who had health examinations annually with baseline fasting plasma glucose (FPG) ranging from 3.9 to 5.5 mmol/L, without a history of either diabetes or concomitant chronic diseases. An association was found between lower serum bicarbonate and a higher risk of progressing to IFG/DM in Chinese people.