Disparities in prediabetes and type 2 diabetes prevalence between indigenous and nonindigenous populations from Southeastern Mexico: The Comitan Study

• Main Authors: Aida Jimenez-Corona, Robert G. Nelson, Maria E. Jimenez-Corona, Paul W. Franks, Carlos A. Aguilar-Salinas, Enrique O. Graue-Hernandez, Sergio Hernandez-Jimenez, Mauricio Hernandez-Avila
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier 2019-06-01
• Series: Journal of Clinical & Translational Endocrinology
• Online Access: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214623718300814

Aims: In this research we assessed the prevalence of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes and its association with social determinants such as indigenous origin and residence area in population from Comitan, Chiapas, Mexico. Methods: The Comitan Study is a population-based study carried out from 2010 to 2012 that included 1844 participants aged ≥ 20 years, 880 indigenous and 964 nonindigenous participants. Ethnicity was ascertained by self-report and speaking an indigenous language was also recorded. Prediabetes was defined as fasting serum glucose 5.6–6.9 mmol/l or 2-hour post load serum glucose 7.8–11.0 mmol/l. Type 2 diabetes was defined as fasting serum glucose ≥ 7.0 mmol/l or 2-h post load serum glucose ≥ 11.1 mmol/l or previous clinical diagnosis. Results: Age-sex-adjusted prevalence of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes was 18.0% (95%CI 15.3–20.6) and 11.0% (95%CI 8.9–131.1) in nonindigenous and 10.6% (95%CI 8.4–12.7) and 4.7% (95%CI 3.3–6.1) in indigenous individuals, respectively. After stratifying by ethnicity, in both indigenous and nonindigenous participants the probability of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes increased with age and BMI. In both indigenous and nonindigenous participants the probability of type 2 diabetes was lower in those living in rural compared with urban areas. Conclusions: The prevalence of prediabetes and type 2 diabetes was significantly lower in indigenous than in nonindigenous participants. Also, the prevalence of type 2 diabetes was lower in those living in rural areas. Health benefits of a traditional lifestyle may partially account for these differences. Keywords: Prevalence, Prediabetes, Noninsulin dependent diabetes mellitus, Indigenous health, Population survey