title: Type 2 diabetes in Asians: prevalence, risk factors, and effectiveness of behavioral intervention at individual and population levels.
abstract: This review summarizes the current data on diabetes risk factors, prevalence, and prevention efforts in Asia and Asian migrant populations. Studies indicate that type 2 diabetes mellitus is a large and growing threat to public health in Asian populations. Furthermore, Asian subgroups (e.g., South Asians/Asian Indians, Chinese) have unique risk factor profiles for developing diabetes, which differ from other populations and between Asian ethnic groups. Lifestyle intervention programs are effective in preventing diabetes in Asians, as with other ethnicities. The strength of these findings is lessened by the lack of systematically collected data using objective measurements. Large epidemiologic studies of diabetes prevalence and risk factor profiles and translational trials identifying sustainable and culturally acceptable lifestyle programs for Asian subgroups are needed.
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Health Sciences Department, Division of Biological and Biomedical Sciences, Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. mbweber@emory.edu
authors.forename: Mary Beth
authors.initials: MB
authors.lastname: Weber
authors.forename: Reena
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Oza-Frank
authors.forename: Lisa R
authors.initials: LR
authors.lastname: Staimez
authors.forename: Mohammed K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.forename: K M Venkat
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Narayan
mesh_terms: D044466:Asian People; D001524:Behavioral Medicine / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000208:ethnology / Q000628:therapy*; D003927:Diet, Diabetic / Q000208:ethnology; D004641:Emigration and Immigration; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology; D008019:Life Style / Q000208:ethnology; D009043:Motor Activity; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D057170:Translational Research, Biomedical / Q000639:trends; D014504:Urban Health / Q000208:ethnology; D044465:White People