title: Longitudinal study shows increasing obesity and hyperglycemia in micronesia.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity and diabetes are particularly high in indigenous populations exposed to a Western diet and lifestyle. The prevalence of obesity, diabetes, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and hypertension in one such population, the Micronesian island of Kosrae was described.
  
  
  METHODS
  Longitudinal screenings for metabolic traits were conducted on adult Kosraens ≥ 20 years of age in 1994 and again in 2001. Data was obtained on 3,106 Kosraens, comprising ∼80% of the adult population. Diabetes was diagnosed using World Health Organization guidelines. Prevalences of obesity, hyperglycemia, dyslipidemia, and hypertension were assessed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes increased from 14 to 21%. The most significant change observed in the population was increases in obesity and hyperglycemia, especially among young Kosraens and women. Obesity age-adjusted prevalence increased from 45 to 62%, and hyperglycemia age-adjusted prevalence increased from 19 to 44%. Of note, Kosraens as a group had unusually low high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels with 80% classified as low HDL by NCEP-ATPIII criteria, despite lacking the usually accompanying increase in triglycerides. Comparison to reports from other populations shows that Kosrae experiences one of the highest rates of obesity, hyperglycemia, and low HDL globally while maintaining relatively healthy levels of triglycerides.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our study shows a dramatic increase in obesity and hyperglycemia in Kosrae in just 7 years and forebodes significantly increased health risks for this part of the world.
authors: Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA; Human Genome Sequencing Center, Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas, USA.
authors: David
authors: D
authors: Murdock
authors: Jacqueline
authors: J
authors: Salit
authors: Markus
authors: M
authors: Stoffel
authors: Jeffrey M
authors: JM
authors: Friedman
authors: Itsik
authors: I
authors: Pe'er
authors: Jan L
authors: JL
authors: Breslow
authors: Penelope E
authors: PE
authors: Bonnen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology*; D050171:Dyslipidemias / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008297:Male; D008849:Micronesia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012737:Sex Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood*; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides