Acculturation and Biomarkers for Type 2 Diabetes in Latinos

Abstract

In their review, Perez-Escamilla and Putnik address the com- plexity between different levels of acculturation and the influ- ence on nutrition, obesity, and other lifestyle factors, which consequently modulate the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in Latinos (1). One would expect that several of the changes in dietary patterns associated with acculturation may explain the prevalence of diabetes among subgroups of Latinos living in the US. However, the need for further research in this area is illustrated by the fact that there is no consistent evidence that acculturation is associated with a higher incidence of type 2 diabetes. Indeed, research shows that, although individuals who have been able to incorporate into the mainstream European- American culture appear to have less prevalence of type 2 diabetes, those who are less acculturated have more pronounced patterns of insulin resistance and dysregulation of glucose metabolism (2). However, this finding is likely to be confounded by poverty. In a survey conducted in Mexican Americans living in Arizona, 68% of those individuals presenting type 2 diabetes belonged to a lower socioeconomic group (3), indicating that poverty level is a major contribution to degenerative diseases. Although lifestyle changes may be responsible for these patterns, an assessment of biomarkers is needed to understand the progress of the disease.