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. 2011 Feb;34(2):353-7.
doi: 10.2337/dc10-0746. Epub 2011 Jan 7.

Trends in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Asians versus whites: results from the United States National Health Interview Survey, 1997-2008

Ji Won R Lee  1 , Frederick L Brancati, Hsin-Chieh Yeh
Affiliations

Trends in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Asians versus whites: results from the United States National Health Interview Survey, 1997-2008

Ji Won R Lee et al. Diabetes Care. 2011 Feb.

Abstract

Objective: To examine trends in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes and related conditions in Asian Americans compared with non-Hispanic whites.

Research design and methods: We analyzed data from the National Health Interview Survey (NHIS) from 1997 to 2008 to construct a nationally representative sample of 230,503 U.S. adults aged ≥ 18 years. Of these adults, 11,056 identified themselves as Asian Americans and 219,447 as non-Hispanic whites.

Results: The age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of type 2 diabetes was higher in Asian Americans than in whites throughout the study period (4.3-8.2% vs. 3.8-6.0%), and there was a significant upward trend in both ethnic groups (P < 0.01). BMI also was increased in both groups, but age- and sex-adjusted BMI was consistently lower in Asian Americans. In fully adjusted logistic regression models, Asian Americans remained 30-50% more likely to have diabetes than their white counterparts. In addition, Asian Indians had the highest odds of prevalent type 2 diabetes, followed by Filipinos, other Asians, and Chinese.

Conclusions: Compared with their white counterparts, Asian Americans have a significantly higher risk for type 2 diabetes, despite having substantially lower BMI. Additional investigation of this disparity is warranted, with the aim of tailoring optimal diabetes prevention strategies to Asian Americans.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Lowess-smoothed line curves represent age- and sex-standardized prevalence rates of type 2 diabetes in 1997–2008, after accounting for sampling weight. The solid line represents Asians (A) and the dotted line represents whites (W). P for trends: Asians = 0.028 and whites = 0.009. Box-plot reveals age- and sex-standardized BMI in each period (1997–1999, 2000–2002, 2003–2005, and 2006–2008) and draw at the midpoint of each period.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Each box plot represents age- and sex-standardized BMI, and colors stand for each period by race/ethnicities. P for trends: whites = 0.001, Chinese = 0.042, other Asians = 0.32, Asian Indian = 0.26, and Filipinos = 0.002.
Figure 3
Figure 3
ORs (95% CIs) of prevalent type 2 diabetes in Asian subgroups versus whites in the fully adjusted model (controlled for age, sex, BMI categories, education, incomes, nation of birth, current smoking and alcohol drinking status, and leisure-time physical activity).
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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