Search

Background: South Asians are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes (T2D) than many other race/ethnic groups. Ectopic adiposity, specifically hepatic steatosis and visceral fat may partially explain this. Our objective was to derive metabolite risk scores for ectopic adiposity and assess associations with incident T2D in South Asians., Methods: We examined 550 participants in the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) cohort study aged 40-84 years without known cardiovascular disease or T2D and with metabolomic data. Computed tomography scans at baseline assessed hepatic attenuation and visceral fat area, and fasting serum specimens at baseline and after 5 years assessed T2D. LC-MS-based untargeted metabolomic analysis was performed followed by targeted integration and reporting of known signals. Elastic net regularized linear regression analyses was used to derive risk scores for hepatic steatosis and visceral fat using weighted coefficients. Logistic regression models associated metabolite risk score and incident T2D, adjusting for age, gender, study site, BMI, physical activity, diet quality, energy intake and use of cholesterol-lowering medication., Results: Average age of participants was 55 years, 36% women with an average body mass index (BMI) of 25 kg/m 2 and 6% prevalence of hepatic steatosis, with 47 cases of incident T2D at 5 years. There were 445 metabolites of known identity. Of these, 313 metabolites were included in the MET-Visc score and 267 in the MET-Liver score. In most fully adjusted models, MET-Liver (OR 2.04 [95% CI 1.38, 3.03]) and MET-Visc (OR 2.80 [1.75, 4.46]) were associated with higher odds of T2D. These associations remained significant after adjustment for measured adiposity., Conclusions: Metabolite risk scores for intrahepatic fat and visceral fat were strongly related to incident T2D independent of measured adiposity. Use of these biomarkers to target risk stratification may help capture pre-clinical metabolic abnormalities., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Aims: We examined associations between lipoprotein subfractions and prevalent and incident T2D in two race/ethnically diverse cohort studies., Methods: Adults self-identifying as White, Black, Chinese, Hispanic and South Asian-American without cardiovascular disease, with fasting serum, demographic, and clinical data at enrollment and after 5 years of follow-up were included. Lipoprotein subfractions were measured at enrollment using NMR spectrometry. LASSO regularized logistic regression models adjusted for age, sex, race/ethnicity, lipid-lowering agent use, and waist circumference assessed odds of incident T2D in pooled analyses., Results: There were 4474 participants with lipoprotein subfraction data at enrollment and 3839 participants without prevalent diabetes, mean age 62 years, 51 % women, with 234 incident T2D cases at 5 years. Triglycerides in small, dense LDL-5 [OR 1.26 (95 % CI 1.11,1.43)], VLDL triglycerides 1.30** [1.16,1.46] and phospholipids in VLDL-1 [OR 1.31 (1.17,1.47)] were associated with higher odds of incident T2D, while free cholesterol in large HDL-1 [OR 0.75 (95 % CI 0.63,0.89)] was inversely associated. The results were similar for prevalent diabetes and did not vary by race/ethnic group., Conclusions: Composition of lipoprotein subfractions is differentially associated with prevalent and incident T2D without difference by race/ethnic group. Assessment of lipoprotein composition may enhance targeted risk reduction for T2D., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The Mediterranean diet is associated with lower risks for type 2 diabetes (T2D) and cardiovascular disease in certain populations, although data among diverse groups are limited. This study evaluated cross-sectional and prospective associations between a novel South Asian Mediterranean-style (SAM) diet and cardiometabolic risk among US South Asian individuals., Methods: The study included 891 participants at baseline in the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) study. Culturally relevant foods were grouped into nine categories to construct the SAM score. The study examined associations of this score with cardiometabolic risk factors and incident T2D., Results: At baseline, higher adherence to the SAM diet was associated with lower glycated hemoglobin (-0.43% ± 0.15% per 1-unit increase in SAM score; p = 0.004) and lower pericardial fat volume (-1.22 ± 0.55 cm 3 ; p = 0.03), as well as a lower likelihood of obesity (odds ratio [OR]: 0.88, 95% CI: 0.79-0.98) and fatty liver (OR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.68-0.98). Over the follow-up (~5 years), 45 participants developed T2D; each 1-unit increase in SAM score was associated with a 25% lower odds of incident T2D (OR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.59-0.95)., Conclusions: A greater intake of a SAM diet is associated with favorable adiposity measures and a lower likelihood of incident T2D., (© 2023 The Obesity Society.)

Background: Plant-based diets are recommended for chronic disease prevention, yet there has been little focus on plant-based diet quality among participants of South Asian ancestry who consume a predominantly plant-based diet., Objectives: We evaluated cross-sectional and prospective associations between plant-based diet quality and cardiometabolic risks among participants of South Asian ancestry who are living in the United States., Methods: We included 891 participants of South Asian ancestry who completed the baseline visit in the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) study. The prospective analysis included 735 participants who completed exam 2 (∼5 years after baseline). The plant-based diet quality was assessed using 3 indices: an overall plant-based diet index (PDI) that summarizes the consumption of plant foods, a healthy PDI (hPDI) that measures consumption of healthy plant foods, and an unhealthy PDI (uPDI) that reflects consumption of less healthy plant foods., Results: At baseline, the PDI score was inversely associated with fasting glucose. We observed inverse associations between PDI and hPDI scores and HOMA-IR, LDL cholesterol, weight, and BMI (all P values < 0.05). Higher scores on the hPDI, but not PDI, were associated with lower glycated hemoglobin, higher adiponectin, a smaller visceral fat area, and a smaller pericardial fat volume. Each 5-unit higher hPDI score was associated with lower likelihoods of fatty liver (OR: 0.76; 95% CI: 0.64, 0.90) and obesity (OR: 0.88; 95% CI: 0.80, 0.97). There were no associations between uPDI scores and cardiometabolic risks. Prospectively, after covariate adjustment for baseline values, each 5-unit higher hPDI score was associated with an 18% lower risk of incident type 2 diabetes (OR: 0.82; 95% CI: 0.67, 1.00)., Conclusions: A higher intake of healthful plant-based foods was associated with a favorable cardiometabolic risk profile. Dietary recommendations to lower chronic disease risks among participants of South Asian ancestry should focus on the quality of plant-based foods., (© The Author(s) 2022. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the American Society for Nutrition.)

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the development and preliminary effectiveness of a novel Prediabetes Decision Aid on adoption of intensive lifestyle interventions (ILIs) and metformin. Little research has focused on increasing uptake of these evidence-based treatments, especially among non-English speakers and those with low educational attainment., Methods: Investigators developed an English and Spanish decision aid displaying information about type 2 diabetes (T2DM) risk and treatments to prevent T2DM and prompting patients to identify next steps for management. This pilot study was a single-arm, pretest-posttest trial of 40 adult patients with prediabetes, obesity, and ≥1 office visit within the prior 12 months. Participants reviewed this tool briefly with a study team member, and data were collected on 3 coprimary outcomes: knowledge about T2DM risk, decisional conflict, and intention to adopt treatment. Exploratory outcomes included subsequent documentation of prediabetes in chart notes and adoption of ILIs or metformin., Results: Almost all participants were women, with nearly half expressing Spanish language preference and low educational attainment. A nonsignificant increase in knowledge was observed across all subgroups. Decisional conflict was significantly reduced from pretest to posttest and was similar between subgroups defined by language preference and educational attainment. While intention to adopt ILIs increased across all subgroups, this change was only significant among Spanish speakers and participants with low educational attainment. At 6 months, 17 participants had subsequent provider documentation of prediabetes, and 12 adopted ILIs or metformin., Conclusions: The decision aid improved patient-reported outcomes and promoted treatment adoption in a diverse patient sample.

Introduction: South Asians have a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). This may be associated with high rates of conversion through the natural history of disease. However, there is a paucity of data on prediabetes and T2DM incidence and related predictors in South Asians in the USA., Research Design and Methods: We estimated prediabetes and T2DM incidence after 5 years of follow-up in the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America study (n=481) and examined the associated correlates. We defined T2DM and prediabetes using the American Diabetes Association criteria. Prediabetes included isolated impaired fasting glucose (iIFG), isolated impaired glucose tolerance (iIGT) and combined IFG and IGT., Results: Overall, 152 (32%, 95% CI: 27.6 to 35.9) individuals progressed either from normal glucose tolerance to prediabetes or T2DM, or from prediabetes to T2DM. In standardised logistic regression models controlling for age and sex, only hepatic fat attenuation (increased hepatic fat) (OR: 0.67 (95% CI: 0.55 to 0.87) per SD, visceral fat area (OR: 1.36 (95% CI: 1.06 to 1.74) per SD and hypertension (OR: 2.21 (95% CI: 1.44 to 3.40) were associated with any glycemic progression., Conclusions: South Asians in the USA have a high incidence of dysglycemia. Hepatic and visceral fat may be factors in glycemic progression, and prevention efforts should target ectopic fat reduction., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2020. Re-use permitted under CC BY-NC. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Aims: Guidelines recommend hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) as a diagnostic test for type 2 diabetes, but its accuracy may differ in certain ethnic groups., Methods: The prevalence of type 2 diabetes by HbA1c, fasting glucose, and 2 h glucose was compared in 3016 participants from Chennai and Delhi, India from the CARRS-2 Study to 757 Indians in the U.S. from the MASALA Study. Type 2 diabetes was defined as fasting glucose ≥ 7.0 mmol/L, 2-h glucose ≥ 11.1 mmol/L, or HbA1c ≥ 6.5%. Isolated HbA1c diabetes was defined as HbA1c ≥ 6.5% with fasting glucose < 7.0 mmol/L and 2 h glucose < 11.1 mmol/L., Results: The age, sex, and BMI adjusted prevalence of diabetes by isolated HbA1c was 2.9% (95% CI: 2.2-4.0), 3.1% (95% CI: 2.3-4.1), and 0.8% (95% CI: 0.4-1.8) in CARRS-Chennai, CARRS-Delhi, and MASALA, respectively. The proportion of diabetes diagnosed by isolated HbA1c was 19.4%, 26.8%, and 10.8% in CARRS-Chennai, CARRS-Delhi, and MASALA respectively. In CARRS-2, individuals with type 2 diabetes by isolated HbA1c milder cardio-metabolic risk than those diagnosed by fasting or 2-h measures., Conclusions: In Asian Indians, the use of HbA1c for type 2 diabetes diagnosis could result in a higher prevalence. HbA1c may identify a subset of individuals with milder glucose intolerance., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Purpose and Objectives: Community programs to prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes are effective, but implementing these programs to maximize their reach and impact remains a challenge. The American Medical Association (AMA) partnered with the YMCA of the USA, as part of a Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation demonstration project, to develop, implement, and evaluate innovative quality improvement strategies to increase routine screening, testing, and referral of Medicare patients with prediabetes to diabetes prevention programs (DPPs) at local YMCAs., Intervention Approach: AMA recruited 26 primary care practices and health systems in 17 US communities to implement point-of-care and retrospective methods (or a combination of both) for screening, testing, and referral of Medicare patients with prediabetes., Evaluation Methods: We assessed changes in rates of referral and enrollment of patients among participating practices. We used a mixed-methods pretest-posttest evaluation design to determine if use of certain tools and resources, coupled with systems changes, led to increased screening and referrals., Results: Practices referred a total of 5,640 patients, of whom 1,050 enrolled in a YMCA DPP (19%; range, 2%-98%). Practices (n = 12) that used retrospective (ie, electronic medical record [EMR]) systems to identify eligible Medicare patients via a registry referred more people (n = 4,601) to the YMCA DPP than practices (n = 10) that used a point-of-care method alone (n = 437 patients) or practices (n = 4) that used a combination of these approaches (n = 602 patients). All approaches showed increased enrollment with point-of-care methods being most successful., Implications for Public Health: Lessons learned from this intervention can be used to increase diabetes prevention in the United States and support the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) decision to expand Medicare coverage to include the DPP for all Medicare beneficiaries.

Objective: South Asians have a higher prevalence of type 2 diabetes compared with other race/ethnic groups. Body composition is associated with the risk for type 2 diabetes. Differences in body composition between South Asians and other race/ethnic groups are one hypothesized mechanism to explain the disproportionate prevalence of type 2 diabetes in this population., Research Design and Methods: This study used data from the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA) cohorts to determine whether body composition mediated the elevated prevalence of impaired fasting glucose and type 2 diabetes in South Asians. Participants ( n = 2,615) with complete body composition data were included. Ordinal logistic regression models were calculated to determine the odds for glycemic impairment in South Asians compared with the MESA cohort., Results: In multivariate models, South Asians had a significantly higher prevalence of glycemic impairment and type 2 diabetes compared with all four race/ethnic groups included in the MESA ( P < 0.001 for all). In unadjusted and multivariate adjusted models, South Asians had higher odds for impaired fasting glucose and type 2 diabetes compared with all other race/ethnic groups ( P < 0.001 for all). The addition of body composition measures did not significantly mitigate this relationship., Conclusions: We did not identify strong evidence that accounting for body composition explains differences in the risk for type 2 diabetes. Future prospective studies of the MESA and MASALA cohorts are needed to understand how adipose tissue impacts the risk for type 2 diabetes and how to best assess this risk., (© 2019 by the American Diabetes Association.)

Aims: Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is a major risk factor for type 2 diabetes. The incidence of both GDM and type 2 diabetes is exceedingly high in South Asian populations. However, the risk of type 2 diabetes after GDM in South Asian women in the United States is unknown., Methods: South Asians aged 40 to 84 years without known cardiovascular disease were enrolled in a community-based cohort called Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America study. A history of GDM was elicited through self-report, and type 2 diabetes was ascertained by an oral glucose tolerance test. We performed a multivariable logistic regression analysis to examine the odds of type 2 diabetes after GDM history in this cross-sectional analysis., Results: About 9.7% of women in the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America study self-reported a history of GDM, and were significantly younger, with higher mean diastolic blood pressure and self-reported weight at age 20 and 40 years than women without a history of GDM. In a model adjusted for age, weight at age 40, family history of diabetes, education, income, physical activity, caloric intake, alcohol use, and cigarette smoking, women with a history of GDM had increased odds of having type 2 diabetes compared with women without GDM (OR 3.2; 95% CI 1.3, 7.5)., Conclusions: A history of GDM further increases the risk of type 2 diabetes in US South Asian women. Our findings underscore the importance of early postpartum screening in a population at high risk for type 2 diabetes., (Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

South Asians have a high burden of cardiovascular disease compared to other racial/ethnic groups in the United States. Little has been done to evaluate how neighborhood environments may influence cardiovascular risk factors including hypertension and type 2 diabetes in this immigrant population. We evaluated the association of perceived neighborhood social cohesion with hypertension and type 2 diabetes among 906 South Asian adults who participated in the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America Study. Multivariable logistic regression adjusted for demographic, socioeconomic, psychosocial, and physiologic covariates. Subgroup analyses examined whether associations differed by gender. South Asian women living in neighborhoods with high social cohesion had 46 % reduced odds of having hypertension than those living in neighborhoods with low social cohesion (OR 0.54, 95 % CI 0.30-0.99). Future research should determine if leveraging neighborhood social cohesion prevents hypertension in South Asian women.

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to explore how adults with prediabetes perceive their risk of developing diabetes and examine their preferences for evidence-based treatment options to prevent diabetes., Methods: A qualitative study was conducted in 2 large Midwest primary care practices, involving in-depth semistructured interviews with 35 adult patients with prediabetes., Results: This ethnically diverse (77% nonwhite) sample of middle-aged primary care patients exhibited multiple diabetes risk factors. Knowledge gaps about prediabetes and its medical management were pervasive. Most patients overestimated the risk of developing diabetes and were not familiar with evidence-based treatment options for prediabetes. They suggested that receiving brief, yet specific information about these topics during the study interview motivated them to act. The majority of participants considered both intensive lifestyle intervention and metformin acceptable treatment options. Many preferred initial treatment with intensive lifestyle intervention but would take metformin if their efforts at lifestyle change failed and their primary care physician recommended it. Some participants expressed wanting to combine both treatments., Conclusions: This qualitative study highlights potential opportunities to promote patient-centered dialogue about prediabetes in primary care settings. Providing patients specific information about the risk of developing diabetes and evidence-based treatment options to prevent or delay its onset may encourage action. Physicians' prediabetes counseling efforts should be informed by the finding that most patients consider both intensive lifestyle intervention and metformin acceptable treatment options., Competing Interests: Dr Kandula received salary support from the American Medical Association that was not related to her participation in this study. The other authors have no potential conflicts of interest., (© 2016 The Author(s).)

Competing Interests: Compliance with ethical standards Conflicts of interest The author has no conflicts of interest with this article.

Type 2 diabetes is a major public health problem in the USA, affecting over 12 % of American adults and imposing considerable health and economic burden on individuals and society. There is a strong evidence base demonstrating that lifestyle behavioral changes and some medications can prevent or delay the onset of type 2 diabetes in high risk adults, and several policy and healthcare system changes motivated by the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) have the potential to accelerate diabetes prevention. In this narrative review, we (1) offer a conceptual framework for organizing how the ACA may influence diabetes prevention efforts at the level of individuals, healthcare providers, and health systems; (2) highlight ACA provisions at each of these levels that could accelerate type 2 diabetes prevention nationwide; and (3) explore possible policy gaps and opportunity areas for future research and action., Competing Interests: Compliance with Ethics Guidelines Conflict of Interest Namratha Kandula discloses that she receives salary support from the American Medical Association and honoraria from Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute for serving as a grant reviewer. Juleigh Nowinski Konchak, Margaret Moran, Matthew O’Brien, and Ronald Ackermann declare that they have nothing to disclose. Human and Animal Rights and Informed Consent This article does not contain any studies with human or animal subjects performed by any of the authors.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of diabetes and prediabetes and the associated risk factors in two Asian Indian populations living in different environments., Research Design and Methods: We performed cross-sectional analyses, using representative samples of 2,305 Asian Indians aged 40-84 years living in Chennai, India, from the Centre for cArdiometabolic Risk Reduction in South-Asia study (CARRS) (2010-2011), and 757 Asian Indians aged 40-84 years living in the greater San Francisco and Chicago areas from the U.S. Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) study (2010-2013). Diabetes was defined as self-reported use of glucose-lowering medication, fasting glucose ≥126 mg/dL, or 2-h glucose ≥200 mg/dL. Prediabetes was defined as fasting glucose 100-125 mg/dL and/or 2-h glucose 140-199 mg/dL., Results: Age-adjusted diabetes prevalence was higher in India (38% [95% CI 36-40]) than in the U.S. (24% [95% CI 21-27]). Age-adjusted prediabetes prevalence was lower in India (24% [95% CI 22-26]) than in the U.S. (33% [95% CI 30-36]). After adjustment for age, sex, waist circumference, and systolic blood pressure, living in the U.S. was associated with an increased odds for prediabetes (odds ratio 1.2 [95% CI 0.9-1.5]) and a decreased odds for diabetes (odds ratio 0.5 [95% CI 0.4-0.6])., Conclusions: These findings indicate possible changes in the relationship between migration and diabetes risk and highlight the growing burden of disease in urban India. Additionally, these results call for longitudinal studies to better identify the gene-environment-lifestyle exposures that underlie the elevated risk for type 2 diabetes development in Asian Indians., (© 2015 by the American Diabetes Association. Readers may use this article as long as the work is properly cited, the use is educational and not for profit, and the work is not altered.)

Purpose: In this study, we aim to elucidate the role of sociodemographic, lifestyle, and cultural factors in prediabetes and diabetes in South Asian immigrants to the United States, a population at high risk of type II diabetes., Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of a community-based cohort of 899 South Asians without known cardiovascular disease from the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America study. Glycemic status was determined by fasting glucose, 2-hour postchallenge glucose, and use of diabetes medication. We used multinomial logistic regression models to estimate the independent associations of sociodemographic, lifestyle, and cultural factors with prediabetes and diabetes, adjusting for confounders identified using directed acyclic graphs., Results: Approximately 33% of participants had prediabetes and 25% had diabetes. In multivariate analyses, an independent correlate of prediabetes was low exercise. Additional covariates associated with diabetes included lower family income, less education, high chronic psychological burden score, and greater time spent watching television; and fasting monthly or annually was inversely associated with diabetes prevalence., Conclusions: We found several modifiable risk factors associated with prediabetes and diabetes that may help guide diabetes prevention interventions for South Asian immigrants to the United States., (Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: We compared South Asians with four other racial/ethnic groups in the U.S. to determine whether sociodemographic, lifestyle, or metabolic factors could explain the higher diabetes prevalence and whether insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction occurred at younger ages and/or lower adiposity levels compared with other groups., Research Design and Methods: We performed a cross-sectional analysis of two community-based cohorts, the Mediators of Atherosclerosis in South Asians Living in America (MASALA) study and the Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis (MESA); all participants had no known cardiovascular disease and were between 44 and 84 years of age. We compared 799 South Asians with 2,611 whites, 1,879 African Americans, 1,493 Latinos, and 801 Chinese Americans. Type 2 diabetes was classified by fasting plasma glucose ≥126 mg/dL or use of a diabetes medication. Insulin resistance was estimated by the homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) and β-cell function was measured by the HOMA-β model., Results: South Asians had significantly higher age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes (23%) than the MESA ethnic groups (6% in whites, 18% in African Americans, 17% in Latinos, and 13% in Chinese Americans). This difference increased further after adjustment for potential confounders. HOMA of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) levels were significantly higher and HOMA-β levels were lower among South Asians compared with all other racial/ethnic groups after adjustment for age and adiposity., Conclusions: The higher prevalence of diabetes in South Asians is not explained by traditionally measured risk factors. South Asians may have lower β-cell function and an inability to compensate adequately for higher glucose levels from insulin resistance., (© 2014 by the American Diabetes Association.)

Objective: Multimedia diabetes education programs (MDEP) have the potential to improve communication and education of those with low health literacy. We examined the effect of a MDEP targeted to patients with low literacy on knowledge and assessed the association between literacy and knowledge improvement., Methods: We showed the MDEP to 190 patients recruited from clinics at a federally qualified health center and an academic health center. We measured diabetes knowledge before and after viewing the MDEP., Results: Seventy-nine percent of patients had adequate literacy, 13% marginal, and 8% inadequate literacy. Patients across all literacy levels had significant increases in knowledge scores after viewing the MDEP (p-value<0.001). Patients with inadequate literacy learned significantly less after the MDEP (adjusted beta-coefficient=-2.3, SE=0.70) compared to those with adequate literacy., Conclusions: A MDEP designed for those with low literacy significantly increased diabetes knowledge across literacy levels. However, the MDEP did not overcome the learning gap between patients with low and high literacy., Practice Implications: A literacy appropriate MDEP may be an effective way to teach patients about diabetes. Combining the MDEP with other education methods may improve comprehension and learning among those with low literacy. Research is needed to identify which characteristics of low-literate patients influence the ability to learn health information. Identifying these factors and incorporating solutions into a diabetes education intervention may help bridge the learning gap related to literacy status.