Is being Hispanic a risk factor for non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM)?
The objective of this paper is to critically assess the basis of the hypothesis that the ethnicity of Hispanics is by itself a risk factor of NIDDM. Showing that the definition of the term Hispanics has both operational and methodological problems, it is argued that in the United States, a group identified by this term is genetically, as well as culturally, heterogeneous. Further, the actual risk factors of NIDDM may simply co-vary with the ethnicity of Hispanics, so that the notion that this ethnicity is a stand-alone independent risk factor of NIDDM may be too simplistic.
Chakraborty
B M
BM
Community Health Practice Module, University of Texas School of Public Health, Houston 77225, USA.
Fernández-Esquer
M E
ME
Chakraborty
R
R
D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000235:genetics; D014644:Genetic Variation; D006630:Hispanic or Latino / Q000235:genetics; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology