Betel Quid Health Risks of Insulin Resistance Diseases in Poor Young South Asian Native and Immigrant Populations
Betel quid, traditionally prepared with areca nut, betel leaf, and slaked lime, has been consumed for thousands of years, mainly in the form of chewing. Originally used for cultural, medicinal, and ceremonial purposes mainly in South Asian countries, its use has recently spread across the globe due...
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doaj-a5b19d59a29648c7a14b396328ca0acb2020-11-25T03:29:08ZengMDPI AGInternational Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health1661-78271660-46012020-09-01176690669010.3390/ijerph17186690Betel Quid Health Risks of Insulin Resistance Diseases in Poor Young South Asian Native and Immigrant PopulationsSuzanne M. de la Monte0Natalia Moriel1Amy Lin2Nada Abdullah Tanoukhy3Camille Homans4Gina Gallucci5Ming Tong6Ayumi Saito7Department of Pathology and Laboratory Medicine, Providence VA Medical Center, Providence, RI 02808, USADepartment of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology at Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USADepartment of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology at Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USADepartment of Molecular Pharmacology and Physiology at Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USADepartment of Neuroscience, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USADepartments of Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI 02808, USADepartments of Medicine, Rhode Island Hospital, Providence, RI 02808, USADepartment of Epidemiology in the School of Public Health, Brown University, Providence, RI 02912, USABetel quid, traditionally prepared with areca nut, betel leaf, and slaked lime, has been consumed for thousands of years, mainly in the form of chewing. Originally used for cultural, medicinal, and ceremonial purposes mainly in South Asian countries, its use has recently spread across the globe due to its psychoactive, euphoric, and aphrodisiac properties. Now it is widely used as a social lubricant and source of financial profit. Unfortunately, the profit motive has led to high rates of habitual consumption with eventual conversion to addiction among young girls and boys. Moreover, the worrisome practice of including tobacco in quid preparations has grown, particularly among pregnant women. Major health concerns include increased rates of malignancy, oral pathology, and cardiovascular, hepatic, fertility, metabolic, and neuropsychiatric disorders. Metabolic disorders and insulin resistance disease states such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome contribute to cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. Mechanistically, the constituents of areca nut/betel quid are metabolized to N-nitroso compounds, i.e., nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic at high doses and cause insulin resistance following chronic low-level exposures. From an epidemiological perspective, the rising tide of insulin resistance diseases including obesity, diabetes, and dementias that now disproportionately burden poor countries has been propagated by rapid commercialization and enhanced access to betel quid. Public health measures are needed to impose socially and ethically responsible barriers to yet another cause of global health disparity.https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/18/6690betel quidarecolinediabetesdementiatobacconitrosamine |
collection |
DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Suzanne M. de la Monte Natalia Moriel Amy Lin Nada Abdullah Tanoukhy Camille Homans Gina Gallucci Ming Tong Ayumi Saito |
spellingShingle |
Suzanne M. de la Monte Natalia Moriel Amy Lin Nada Abdullah Tanoukhy Camille Homans Gina Gallucci Ming Tong Ayumi Saito Betel Quid Health Risks of Insulin Resistance Diseases in Poor Young South Asian Native and Immigrant Populations International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health betel quid arecoline diabetes dementia tobacco nitrosamine |
author_facet |
Suzanne M. de la Monte Natalia Moriel Amy Lin Nada Abdullah Tanoukhy Camille Homans Gina Gallucci Ming Tong Ayumi Saito |
author_sort |
Suzanne M. de la Monte |
title |
Betel Quid Health Risks of Insulin Resistance Diseases in Poor Young South Asian Native and Immigrant Populations |
title_short |
Betel Quid Health Risks of Insulin Resistance Diseases in Poor Young South Asian Native and Immigrant Populations |
title_full |
Betel Quid Health Risks of Insulin Resistance Diseases in Poor Young South Asian Native and Immigrant Populations |
title_fullStr |
Betel Quid Health Risks of Insulin Resistance Diseases in Poor Young South Asian Native and Immigrant Populations |
title_full_unstemmed |
Betel Quid Health Risks of Insulin Resistance Diseases in Poor Young South Asian Native and Immigrant Populations |
title_sort |
betel quid health risks of insulin resistance diseases in poor young south asian native and immigrant populations |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health |
issn |
1661-7827 1660-4601 |
publishDate |
2020-09-01 |
description |
Betel quid, traditionally prepared with areca nut, betel leaf, and slaked lime, has been consumed for thousands of years, mainly in the form of chewing. Originally used for cultural, medicinal, and ceremonial purposes mainly in South Asian countries, its use has recently spread across the globe due to its psychoactive, euphoric, and aphrodisiac properties. Now it is widely used as a social lubricant and source of financial profit. Unfortunately, the profit motive has led to high rates of habitual consumption with eventual conversion to addiction among young girls and boys. Moreover, the worrisome practice of including tobacco in quid preparations has grown, particularly among pregnant women. Major health concerns include increased rates of malignancy, oral pathology, and cardiovascular, hepatic, fertility, metabolic, and neuropsychiatric disorders. Metabolic disorders and insulin resistance disease states such as type 2 diabetes, obesity, and metabolic syndrome contribute to cognitive decline and neurodegeneration. Mechanistically, the constituents of areca nut/betel quid are metabolized to N-nitroso compounds, i.e., nitrosamines, which are carcinogenic at high doses and cause insulin resistance following chronic low-level exposures. From an epidemiological perspective, the rising tide of insulin resistance diseases including obesity, diabetes, and dementias that now disproportionately burden poor countries has been propagated by rapid commercialization and enhanced access to betel quid. Public health measures are needed to impose socially and ethically responsible barriers to yet another cause of global health disparity. |
topic |
betel quid arecoline diabetes dementia tobacco nitrosamine |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/18/6690 |
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