Diabetes Prevalence and Cardiovascular Risk Among Ethnic Minorities
Summary
Diabetes prevalence varies markedly across ethnic groups, reflecting a complex interplay of genetic predisposition, socioeconomic factors, lifestyle transitions and healthcare access. South Asian, African and Middle Eastern populations frequently exhibit earlier onset of insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes at lower levels of adiposity than European‐descent cohorts. Urbanisation and migration impose further metabolic stress, with adoption of energy‐dense diets and sedentary habits compounding inherited susceptibility. Ethnic minorities also experience disproportionate rates of cardiovascular complications, including coronary artery disease, stroke and peripheral artery disease, driven by coexisting dyslipidaemia, hypertension and chronic inflammation. Beyond individual risk factors, structural barriers to preventive screening and culturally adapted interventions exacerbate disparities. A growing body of research emphasises the need for targeted strategies in high‐risk communities: lowering screening thresholds, tailoring lifestyle advice and optimising glycaemic control with sensitivity to cultural norms. Clinically, early detection of dysglycaemia and vigilant management of blood pressure and lipids can mitigate vascular risk. Public health initiatives must integrate community engagement, socioeconomic support and equity in healthcare delivery to attenuate the global burden of diabetes and its cardiovascular sequelae among ethnic minorities.
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Diabetes Prevalence and Cardiovascular Risk Among Ethnic Minorities publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in diabetes prevalence and cardiovascular risk among ethnic minorities across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Glycaemic control: The maintenance of blood glucose within target ranges to prevent complications.
Macrovascular complications: Large‐vessel diseases such as coronary artery disease, stroke and peripheral artery disease.
Microvascular complications: Small‐vessel damage manifesting as nephropathy, retinopathy or neuropathy.
Dyslipidaemia: Abnormal levels of lipids in the blood, including elevated low-density lipoprotein and triglycerides or low high-density lipoprotein.
Ectopic fat deposition: Accumulation of fat within non‐adipose tissues such as liver, muscle or pancreas, contributing to insulin resistance.
References
- Macrovascular and renal microvascular complications in West Africans with intermediate hyperglycemia living in West Africa and Europe: The RODAM study. Heliyon (2023).
- The Relationship Between Metabolic Risk Factors and Incident Cardiovascular Disease in Europeans, South Asians, and African Caribbeans SABRE (Southall and Brent Revisited)—A Prospective Population-Based Study. Journal of the American College of Cardiology (2013).
- Case Finding and Medical Treatment of Type 2 Diabetes among Different Ethnic Minority Groups: The HELIUS Study. Journal of Diabetes Research (2017).
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