Diabetes on the rise in young Native Americans

NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - From 1994 to 2004, the rate of diagnosed diabetes among American Indians and Alaska Natives younger than 35 years of age increased from 8.5 to 17.1 cases per 1000 population, according to findings released Thursday.

This trend is concerning, given the fact that diabetes has a greater potential to cause harm with onset at an early age, according to the authors of the article

The study, which was conducted by researchers from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, involved an analysis of patient data collected by the Indian Health Service (IHS), which provides healthcare to American Indian and Alaska Native populations. Roughly 60 percent of the almost 3 million American Indians and Alaska Natives living in the US reside in an area covered by the IHS.

At the start of the 10-year period, 6001 American Indians and Alaska Natives younger than 35 years old had diabetes. By 2004, this number had increased to 12,313, the investigators report in the CDC's publication, Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report

The rate of diabetes increased with age, ranging from 2.2 cases per 1000 population in subjects younger than 15 years of age to 46.8 per 1000 population in subjects between 25 and 34 years of age.

Higher rates of diabetes were noted in females in all age groups in both 1994 and 2004. In 2004, the overall rate of diabetes was 20.2 and 13.7 cases per 1000 population in females and males, respectively. According to the report, this gender gap may simply be the result of more healthcare visits by females, particularly those related to pregnancy.

"This increase in diagnosed diabetes might be the result of increased incidence of diabetes, increased screening for diabetes, or a combination of both," the report indicates.

The findings underscore the importance of a proper diet and physical activity for reducing diabetes risk.

SOURCE: Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, November 9, 2006.