Higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases in gypsies than in non-gypsies in Slovakia.
OBJECTIVE
Gypsies (or Roma) recently experienced a transition from a traditional to a Westernized lifestyle. Although mortality in this population is 4-fold higher compared with non-Gypsies, very limited information is available on their morbidity especially with regard to non-communicable diseases. Our aim was to determine the prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases in Gypsies and non-Gypsies living in the same region of southern Slovakia.


METHODS
We examined 156 Gypsies and 501 non-Gypsies who participated in a population survey. Age- and sex-standardized prevalence rates were computed for each of the following: T2DM, obesity, hyperlipidemia, hypertension, hyperinsulinemia, elevated albumin/creatinine ratio (ACR), metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease.


RESULTS
Age-sex standardized prevalence of T2DM was 30% (95% CI=22-39) in Gypsies and 10% (8-13, P=0.0001 for comparison of ethnic groups) in non-Gypsies. Corresponding prevalence of the other variables are: 65% (56-74) and 30% (26-34, P=0.0001) for obesity, 69% (61-76) and 59% (54-63, P=0.04) for hypercholesterolemia, 66% (59-74) and 39% (35-43, P=0.009) for hypertriglyceridemia, 49% (42-56) and 43% (39-47, P=0.1) for hypertension, 33% (26-50) and 8% (2-14, P=0.002) for hyperinsulinemia, 16% (9-22) and 5% (3-7, P=0.0001) for elevated ACR, 20% (12-27) and 4% (3-6, P=0.0001) for metabolic syndrome and 35% (28-43) and 26% (22-29, P=0.004) for cardiovascular disease.


CONCLUSIONS
Compared with non-Gypsies, Gypsies had a much higher prevalence of T2DM, metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular disease, which may contribute to their higher mortality.
Clinical Diabetes and Nutrition Section, National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, National Institutes of Health, 4212 N, 16th Street, Rm. 5-41, Phoenix, AZ 85016, USA. bvozarov@mail.nih.gov
Barbora
B
Vozarova de Courten
Maximilian
M
de Courten
Robert L
RL
Hanson
Alena
A
Zahorakova
Henry P
HP
Egyenes
P Antonio
PA
Tataranni
Peter H
PH
Bennett
Juraj
J
Vozar
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D018154:Slovakia / Q000453:epidemiology