Gene puts Indians at risk for diabetes

grannynurse FNP student · Mar 5, 2006

report: gene puts indians at risk for diabetes
monday, january 31, 2005
a "thrifty gene" puts american indians at risk for developing diabetes and other related diseases, according to newsweek.
in an upcoming issue, the magazine cites studies that show the ancestors of the first americans developed the gene in order to go without food in arctic temperatures. but now that indians live in warmer climates, this trait supposedly makes them vulnerable to high-fat, high-cholesterol diets.
some experts say the loss of traditional foods and a move towards a sedentary lifestyle has contributed to exploding rate of diabetes in indian country.
get the story:
ancestors' gene may be responsible for fat: report (press trust 1/31)
diet and genes (newsweek 1/17)

the link did not work. i am not surprised, at all, that na are predisposed to diabetes or that there is a genetic link suspected.

grannynurse:balloons:

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Mar 6, 2006

You are correct. The Press Trust link has just become broken...tis a shame.

However, here is another link that discusses the same.

http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/pima/obesity/obesity.htm

grannynurse FNP student · Mar 6, 2006

You are correct. The Press Trust link has just become broken...tis a shame.
However, here is another link that discusses the same.
http://diabetes.niddk.nih.gov/dm/pubs/pima/obesity/obesity.htm

I read the original research article. Being a diabetic with a paternal grandfather and father who suffered from it, makes me even more interested in the genetic aspect of it. The Pima indians hare several other things with me. An inclination towards storing fat for one. Hope this research is expanded into other groups. I had the privilege of accompanying a researcher to the Four Corners and meeting with several shamans. It was quite an experience and an eye opener.

Grannynurse:balloons:

Editorial Team / Admin · Mar 21, 2006

How Many Native American Indians And Alaska Natives Have Diabetes?

This PDF article is an excellent resource for the NAI with statistics regarding diabetes:

http://ndep.nih.gov/diabetes/pubs/FS_AmIndian.pdf

An excerpt:

(The above) are 2.2 times more likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites
About 15.1 percent of (the above) aged twenty years and older and receiving care from the Indian Health Services (IHS) have diabtes.
......Diabetes is most common among American Indians in the southern U.S. and southern Arizona (26.7 percent and 27.6 percent respectively