Abstract
We compared the hyperglycemia prevalence in Asian Indians to other ethnic groups.
The prevalence of diabetes was higher in Indians compared to other ethnic groups.
The prevalence of prediabetes was lower in Indians compared to other ethnic groups.
These differences may be driven by impaired β-cell function.
Aims
It is unclear how the prevalence of diabetes in Asian Indians in urban India compares to that of race/ethnic groups in the US that may have different underlying susceptibilities. Therefore, we examined ethnic variations in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes, iIFG, iIGT, IFG + IGT, and the associated risk factors in Asian Indians in Chennai, India, and Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics in the United States.
Methods
Cross-sectional analyses, using representative samples of 4867 Asian Indians aged 20–74 years from Chennai, India, in the Centre for Cardiometabolic Risk Reduction in South-Asia study (CARRS) (2010–2011) and 6512 US Whites, Blacks, and Hispanics aged 20–74 years from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) (2007–2012).
Results
The age-adjusted prevalence of type 2 diabetes was highest in Asian Indians (men: 28.4, 95% CI: 25.9, 31.0; women: 30.6, 95% CI, 27.5, 33.9) and lowest in Caucasians (men: 12.2, 95% CI, 10.3, 14.4, women: 9.5, 95% CI, 7.9, 11.5). Asian Indians had the lowest prediabetes prevalence (men: 19.0, 95% CI, 17.2, 20.8; women: 27.2, 95% CI, 22.8, 32.1) and Caucasians had the highest (men; 46.5, 95% CI, 43.5, 49.6, women: 34.4, 95% CI, 31.7, 37.3). However, there were differences in prediabetes prevalence by gender and prediabetes state. The inclusion of HOMA-β in standardized polytomous logistic regression models resulted in a greater odds of diabetes in Blacks and Hispanics compared to Asian Indians.
Conclusions
The high prevalence of diabetes in Asian Indians may be due to innate susceptibilities for β-cell dysfunction in this high risk population.
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