Atlanta, GA–In a study published today in JAMA Internal Medicine, CDC researchers examined the percentage of people living with diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes in Hispanic and non-Hispanic Asian subpopulations. The data fill a national surveillance gap in Hispanic and Asian populations in the United States.
The percentage of adults living with diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes varied significantly by race/ethnicity and among Hispanic and non-Hispanic Asian subgroups. Broadly, the age-sex-adjusted percentage of adults living with diagnosed or undiagnosed diabetes was 22% in Hispanics, 20% in non-Hispanic blacks, 19% for non-Hispanic Asians and 12% for non-Hispanic whites.
The United States is an increasingly diverse nation, as Hispanics and non-Hispanic Asians collectively now account for 23% of the US population and are expected to account for 38% by 2060, according to Census data. According to researchers, these groups may be at higher risk for type 2 diabetes due to genetic, lifestyle and environmental factors.
Among some Hispanics, the age-sex-adjusted percentage of adults living with both diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes were:
- 25% for Mexicans
- 22% for Puerto Ricans
- 21% for Cuban/Dominicans
- 19% for Central Americans
- 12% for South Americans
Among some non-Hispanic Asians, the age-sex-adjusted percentage of adults living with both diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes were:
- 23% for South Asians
- 22% for Southeast Asians
- 14% for East Asians
Consistent with previous research, Asians have lower body mass index (BMI) levels compared to other racial/ethnic groups. In this study, after adjusting for age, sex, and BMI, Southeast Asians had the highest percentages of adults living with diagnosed and undiagnosed diabetes among Asian subgroups.
