Modifiable Risk Factor For Type Research Articles

Assessment of the epidemiological risk factors of diabetic and hypertensive patients amongst the adult population

Background: 93 lakh people in India are undergoing diabetes and hypertension medication. It is true that the most important modifiable risk factors for type 2 diabetes and hypertension today are poor diet, cigarette smoking, and insufficient exercise. NCD-related deaths worldwide will increase by 17% by 2025, costing $47 trillion in lost productivity between 2011 and 2030. Methods: 300 diabetics, hypertensive and diabetic with hypertensive patients were selected from 8 urban wards and 8 rural panchayats of Bhopal by multi-stage random sampling. A semi-structured, pretested and validated questionnaire derived from WHO-STEPS survey was used to collect data in terms of socio-demographic variables, behavioural risk factors measurement and physical measurements. Mean and standard deviations were calculated for quantitative data, frequency and proportions were calculated for qualitative data. Chi-square value was calculated and p value less than 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: The mean age was 46.55±2.17 years. DBP found to be 3% more than 39% of males have systolic BP ≥140 mm of Hg. 33.6% fall under obese-I category. Current tobacco smokers, current alcohol consumption, heavy alcohol use, salt intake >5 gm/day, BMI ≥30 (obese-II) was significantly associated with hypertension. Conclusions: The study’s findings indicate that the alarmingly high occurrence of risk factors for diabetes and hypertension among adults need immediate attention. This indicates the need for an extensive screening and awareness campaign to identify undetected cases in the community and to offer early treatment and continuous follow-up to prevent consequences.

Predicting the risk of type 2 diabetes: Standardized diabetes risk score among the Khmer ethnic minority in Vietnam.

Predicting the risk of progression to type 2 diabetes, as well as identifying the factors that increase this risk, helps the population adjust the modifiable risk factors, improve quality of life, and reduce the disease burden. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 918 ethnic Khmer minority people aged 40 and above in Vietnam who had never been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. To predict the 10-year risk of type 2 diabetes, the Finnish Diabetes Risk Scoring Scale, adjusted for the Asian population with modification of the waist circumpherence and Body Mass Index Cut-Offs, was used. The 10-year predicted risk of progression to type 2 diabetes in ethnic Khmer people aged 40 years and older in southern Vietnam, using the Asian-modified Finnish Diabetes Risk Scoring Scale, resulted 10.54% in the total population study, females have a higher risk at 12.62% compared to 8.01% of males. Among the items that make up the Finnish Diabetes Risk Scoring Scale, age, waist circumference, BMI, family history of diabetes, history of high blood glucose, and use of blood pressure medication were the most accurate predictors, with the area under the Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve at 0.83, 0.81, 0.77, 0.75, 0.74 and 0.73 respectively. The optimal cut-off score to identify progression to tipe 2 diabetes was 13.5 points (Se = 1.00, Sp = 1.00, p < 0.001). The multivariable logistic regression model shows that factors associated with high risk of type 2 diabetes progression in 10 years are age, gender, occupation, economic status, education level and regular alcohol consumption (p < 0.05). The study results provide a basis for proposing potential solutions to reduce modifiable risk factors for type 2 diabetes in the population. These include providing culturally appropriate health education and changing behavior to address alcohol consumption. The use of the Asian-modified Finnish Diabetes Risk Scoring Scale to predict the risk of progression to type 2 diabetes and as a screening tool for undiagnosed type 2 diabetes is appropriate for the Vietnamese Khmer population.

Effects of dietary salt intake restriction on blood glucose levels: a meta-analysis of crossover study.

To identify modifiable risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus and explore the relationship between diet sodium intake and blood glucose levels. Based on inclusion and exclusion criteria, we extracted, analyzed, and assessed the available crossover studies of dietary salt intake restriction and insulin resistance in PubMed, Web of Science, MEDLINE, Embase, Wanfang, and CNKI databases. We included 6 studies with 8 sets of data, covering 485 subjects. I2 statistics results showed insignificant heterogeneity among all data (I2 = 39.2% < 50%). Thus, a fixed-effect model was adopted for the final pooled effect size. Weighted mean difference and its 95% confidence interval (CI) value was 0.193 (95% CI, 0.129-0.257), and the test of the overall effect showed P < 0.001. The results revealed that the blood glucose levels in the subjects in the low-salt intake group were significantly higher than those in the normal or high-salt intake groups. We also found no significant change occurred after the removal of any study through sensitivity analysis, which confirmed that the outcome we calculated was prudent and credible. The quantitative Egger's test (P = 0.109 > 0.05) indicated that insignificant publication bias existed. This meta-analysis highlights the relationship between dietary sodium intake and blood glucose levels. Our findings show that higher blood glucose levels might be expected in hypertensive or normal people with low-salt consumption compared to those with normal or high-salt consumption, although these differences were not clinically significant. PROSPERO Identifier: CRD42021256998.

Plasma metabolomic analysis indicates flavonoids and sorbic acid are associated with incident diabetes: A nested case-control study among Women's Interagency HIV Study participants.

Lifestyle improvements are key modifiable risk factors for Type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) however specific influences of biologically active dietary metabolites remain unclear. Our objective was to compare non-targeted plasma metabolomic profiles of women with versus without confirmed incident DM. We focused on three lipid classes (fatty acyls, prenol lipids, polyketides). Fifty DM cases and 100 individually matched control participants (80% with human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]) were enrolled in a case-control study nested within the Women's Interagency HIV Study. Stored blood samples (1-2 years prior to DM diagnosis among cases; at the corresponding timepoint among matched controls) were assayed in triplicate for metabolomics. Time-of-flight liquid chromatography mass spectrometry with dual electrospray ionization modes was utilized. We considered 743 metabolomic features in a two-stage feature selection approach with conditional logistic regression models that accounted for matching strata. Seven features differed by DM case status (all false discovery rate-adjusted q<0.05). Three flavonoids (two flavanones, one isoflavone) were respectively associated with lower odds of DM (all q<0.05), and sorbic acid was associated with greater odds of DM (all q<0.05). Flavonoids were associated with lower odds of incident DM while sorbic acid was associated with greater odds of incident DM.

Comment on: Predictors of diabetes relapse after metabolic surgery in Asia

Obesity is a strong modifiable risk factor for type 2 diabetes (T2D). Although the association between the 2 conditions is well established, the interplay of organ-specific adiposity, hepatic and peripheral insulin resistance, pancreatic beta-cell mass and function, and onset and severity of T2D varies enormously between individuals. Importantly, variations in adiposity patterns between individuals of different races/ethnicities and baseline, and possible subsequent changes of pancreatic beta-cell mass and function point to a genetic predisposition in the pathophysiology of T2D [1,2].

Identification of Dietary Patterns Associated with Poor Glycemic Control among Free Living Adults with Type 2 Diabetes in Chennai (CURES-162)

Aim: Diabetes is a chronic progressive disease. A healthy eating pattern is essential to achieve good glycemic control (HbA1c 7%) which aids in delaying and preventing diabetes-related complications. The pivotal role of diet, a modifiable risk factor for type 2 diabetes has not been understood completely especially in India where carbohydrate consumption is high. This study, therefore, aims to identify major dietary patterns associated with uncontrolled diabetes by using data reduction methods. Objective: To study and compare the association of dietary patterns with elevated HbA1c among known diabetic adults using three data reduction methods (principal component analysis (PCA), reduced rank regression (RRR), and partial least-squares (PLS) regression). Materials and Methods: The Chennai Urban Rural Epidemiological followed up study (CURES) was completed in 2410 adults. Adults with diabetes (both genders, aged &gt;20years), 573 were selected for the present analysis. Dietary intake was assessed using food frequency questionnaire. Results: The PCA derived the non-vegetarian and vegetarian pattern. Both showed positive association with the risk of high HbA1c. The first pattern of RRR and PLS showed a positive association with many foods especially those contributing to increased intakes of total calories. Whereas the 2nd pattern of RRR and PLS scores both showed an inverse association with HbA1c especially with the reduction in rice-based recipes and total calories. Conclusions: The low intake of certain foods, especially white rice, directly decreased the total calories, total carbohydrate, glycemic load, and glycemic index which has a beneficial effect on glycemic control among those with diabetes.

Genome-wide gene-diet interaction analysis in the UK Biobank identifies novel effects on hemoglobin A1c.

Diet is a significant modifiable risk factor for type 2 diabetes (T2D), and its effect on disease risk is under partial genetic control. Identification of specific gene-diet interactions (GDIs) influencing risk biomarkers such as glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) is a critical step towards precision nutrition for T2D prevention, but progress has been slow due to limitations in sample size and accuracy of dietary exposure measurement. We leveraged the large UK Biobank (UKB) cohort and a diverse group of dietary exposures, including 30 individual dietary traits and 8 empirical dietary patterns, to conduct genome-wide interaction studies in ~340 000 European-ancestry participants to identify novel GDIs influencing HbA1c. We identified five variant-dietary trait pairs reaching genome-wide significance (P < 5 × 10-8): two involved dietary patterns (meat pattern with rs147678157 and a fruit & vegetable-based pattern with rs3010439) and three involved individual dietary traits (bread consumption with rs62218803, dried fruit consumption with rs140270534 and milk type [dairy vs. other] with 4:131148078_TAGAA_T). These were affected minimally by adjustment for geographical and lifestyle-related confounders, and four of the five variants lacked genetic main effects that would have allowed their detection in a traditional genome-wide association study for HbA1c. Notably, multiple loci near transient receptor potential subfamily M genes (TRPM2 and TRPM3) interacted with carbohydrate-containing food groups. These interactions were further characterized using non-European UKB subsets and alternative measures of glycaemia (fasting glucose and follow-up HbA1c measurements). Our results highlight GDIs influencing HbA1c for future investigation, while reinforcing known challenges in detecting and replicating GDIs.

Reducing Your Risk for Type 2 Diabetes: The Power of Food

Type 2 diabetes is a medical condition where you have too much sugar in your blood. According to the Centers for Disease Control, nearly 1 in 10 adults have Type 2 diabetes and 1 in 3 adults have pre-diabetes. This new 14-page publication of the UF/IFAS Food Science and Human Nutrition Department describes the modifiable risk factors for type 2 diabetes and tips to reduce your risk for diabetes. It also includes several example recipes. Written by Elena Torna, Jodi Fitzgerald, Danielle Nelson, Madison Woodard, and Jeanette Andrade.https://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs397

Knowledge on risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus among secondary school students.

Diabetes is a set of metabolic diseases characterized by hyperglycemia caused by improper action and/or secretion of insulin. Currently, diabetes is becoming a serious challenge in modern medicine, this disease affects 425 million people, and the forecasts indicate that by 2045 the number of cases will increase to 629 million. The aim of the study was to evaluate the knowledge about risk factors for type 2 diabetes among secondary school students in the Silesian Province in Poland and to determine whether there are differences between the level of knowledge between girls and boys and between first-, second- and third-grade students. The survey was conducted among 650 high school students. The research tool was the author's questionnaire. The obtained results were developed using Microsoft Excel 2010 and Statistica 13.3 (TIBCO Inc.). The definitions of type 2 diabetes were known to 63.9%. 91.8% of high school students indicated excessive body mass as a risk factor for morbidity, while 18.8% of people indicated the appropriate type of obesity increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes. Most of the students considered abnormal eating habits as an important factor increasing the occurrence of the disease (92.4%). The most numerous group of high school students were people with average level of knowledge (89.6%). The knowledge of high school students about risk factors for type 2 diabetes was varied. The most numerous group were high school students characterised by the average level of knowledge. There were no statistically significant differences between the proportion of correctly provided responses by women and men. There were statistically significant differences between the proportion of correctly provided responses by first-, second- and third-graders. Our research shows that educational activities should be undertaken, especially about modifiable risk factors for type 2 diabetes.

Estimated Substitution of Tea or Coffee for Sugar-Sweetened Beverages Was Associated with Lower Type 2 Diabetes Incidence in Case–Cohort Analysis across 8 European Countries in the EPIC-InterAct Study

BackgroundBeverage consumption is a modifiable risk factor for type 2 diabetes (T2D), but there is insufficient evidence to inform the suitability of substituting 1 type of beverage for another. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to estimate the risk of T2D when consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) was replaced with consumption of fruit juice, milk, coffee, or tea. MethodsIn the European Prospective Investigation into Cancer and Nutrition (EPIC)–InterAct case–cohort study of 8 European countries (n = 27,662, with 12,333 cases of incident T2D, 1992–2007), beverage consumption was estimated at baseline by dietary questionnaires. Using Prentice-weighted Cox regression adjusting for other beverages and potential confounders, we estimated associations of substituting 1 type of beverage for another on incident T2D. ResultsMean ± SD of estimated consumption of SSB was 55 ± 105 g/d. Means ± SDs for the other beverages were as follows: fruit juice, 59 ± 101 g/d; milk, 209 ± 203 g/d; coffee, 381 ± 372 g/d; and tea, 152 ± 282 g/d. Substituting coffee for SSBs by 250 g/d was associated with a 21% lower incidence of T2D (95% CI: 12%, 29%). The rate difference was −12.0 (95% CI: −20.0, −5.0) per 10,000 person-years among adults consuming SSBs ≥250 g/d (absolute rate = 48.3/10,000). Substituting tea for SSBs was estimated to lower T2D incidence by 22% (95% CI: 15%, 28%) or −11.0 (95% CI: −20.0, −2.6) per 10,000 person-years, whereas substituting fruit juice or milk was estimated not to alter T2D risk significantly. ConclusionsThese findings indicate a potential benefit of substituting coffee or tea for SSBs for the primary prevention of T2D and may help formulate public health recommendations on beverage consumption in different populations.

58 - Moms in Motion − Innovative Lifestyle Prenatal Program in Manitoba First Nation Communities

Breastfeeding is a modifiable risk factor for type 2 diabetes, which could be promoted and implemented at the population level. However, breastfeeding rates are lower in FN communities compared to the national average in non-Indigenous women. The objective of this project was to increase breastfeeding rates in FN Communities.

Dietary Glycemic Index and Load and the Risk of Type 2 Diabetes: Assessment of Causal Relations.

While dietary factors are important modifiable risk factors for type 2 diabetes (T2D), the causal role of carbohydrate quality in nutrition remains controversial. Dietary glycemic index (GI) and glycemic load (GL) have been examined in relation to the risk of T2D in multiple prospective cohort studies. Previous meta-analyses indicate significant relations but consideration of causality has been minimal. Here, the results of our recent meta-analyses of prospective cohort studies of 4 to 26-y follow-up are interpreted in the context of the nine Bradford-Hill criteria for causality, that is: (1) Strength of Association, (2) Consistency, (3) Specificity, (4) Temporality, (5) Biological Gradient, (6) Plausibility, (7) Experimental evidence, (8) Analogy, and (9) Coherence. These criteria necessitated referral to a body of literature wider than prospective cohort studies alone, especially in criteria 6 to 9. In this analysis, all nine of the Hill’s criteria were met for GI and GL indicating that we can be confident of a role for GI and GL as causal factors contributing to incident T2D. In addition, neither dietary fiber nor cereal fiber nor wholegrain were found to be reliable or effective surrogate measures of GI or GL. Finally, our cost–benefit analysis suggests food and nutrition advice favors lower GI or GL and would produce significant potential cost savings in national healthcare budgets. The high confidence in causal associations for incident T2D is sufficient to consider inclusion of GI and GL in food and nutrient-based recommendations.

Type 2 diabetes occurrence and mercury exposure – From the National Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan

BackgroundThe global prevalence of type 2 diabetes continues to increase in both developed and developing countries. Environmental exposure to mercury may be an important and modifiable risk factor for type 2 diabetes. However, the epidemiological results are controversial. ObjectivesThis study aimed to examine the association between blood mercury levels and prevalence of type 2 diabetes. MethodsA total of 646 adult participants were selected from the National Nutrition and Health Survey in Taiwan (NAHSIT) 2005–2008. The participants were interviewed using structured questionnaires to record data on basic demographics, socioeconomic status, lifestyle, medical history, and 24-h dietary recall. Specimens of blood and urine were collected at the health examination. Type 2 diabetes was defined as a fasting blood glucose level ≥ 126 mg/dL or intake of hypoglycemic medications. The mercury concentration in red blood cells (RBC-Hg) was quantified by cold vapor atomic absorption spectrometry. ResultsParticipants with type 2 diabetes had a significantly higher RBC-Hg than those without type 2 diabetes. A significant association between the RBC-Hg and prevalence of type 2 diabetes was observed [odds ratio (OR): 1.64; 95% confidence intervals: 1.14–2.35] after potential confounders were well considered, including age, sex, body mass index (BMI), hypertension, total cholesterol, saltwater fish consumption, geographical strata, seasonality and hemoglobin (Hb) level. ConclusionOur findings showed that elevated RBC-Hg is significantly associated with type 2 diabetes prevalence. Future research, particularly for longitudinal cohort studies with suitable specimens, needs to be performed to verify our findings.

Correlation between body mass index and waist circumference among diabetes mellitus patients in Denpasar, Bali

Background: Obesity is one of the most important modifiable risk factors for type 2 diabetes. There are two types of obesity the general obesity which measured using the body mass index (BMI) and central obesity measured by using waist circumference (WC) or waist/hip ratio. This research aims to investigate the correlation between body mass index and waist circumference among diabetic patients in Indonesian population.Methods: The study was carried out using the cross-sectional plan, by analyzing the secondary data that was collected from previous research on diabetic patients that was conducted in Medical Faculty of Universitas Udayana, Bali. The research was done in 4 months from October 2015 - January 2016, and the data was categorized based on BMI, WC, gender, age, family history of diabetes and duration of diabetes mellitus.Results: On a total of 96 sample there were 5 (5.2%) were having general obesity BMI &gt;30 kg/m2, while 61(63.5%) were having central obesity, where the WC measurement for a male was &gt;102 cm and for a female was &gt;88 cm. From the study, it proves that there was a strong correlation in between BMI and WC (r = 0.752, 𝑃 &lt; 0.01). It indicates the correlation was positive and significant.Conclusions: It is concluded that people who have a higher BMI tend to have a higher waist circumference value and with that, both the BMI and WC strongly correlate. As a suggestion, it is recommended to conduct the study using primary data for future research

Reducing the Risk of Developing Diabetes.

Reducing the Risk of Developing Diabetes.

Cardiometabolic risk factors, metabolic syndrome and pre-diabetes in adolescents in the Sierra region of Ecuador

BackgroundExcess weight (overweight and obesity) is the major modifiable risk factor for type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and other non-communicable diseases. However, excess weight may not be as predictive of diabetes risk as once thought. While excess weight and other obesity-related non-communicable diseases are of growing concern in low-middle income countries in Latin America, there is limited research on risk factors associated with T2DM in adolescents. This study investigated prevalence of overweight, obesity, prediabetes, diabetes and metabolic syndrome in adolescents in Ecuador.MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted with 433 adolescents from two schools in a small urban center in southern Ecuador and two schools in a large urban center in Quito. Risk factors were measured, including: height, weight, BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, fasting glucose, lipid panel, and HbA1c. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) was separately applied to risk factors and demographic factors as a set of dependent variables with sex, location and their interaction included as predictors. An independent t test was run on the data at 95% confidence intervals for the mean difference. The values for the triglycerides, LDL and VLDL were positively skewed. A Mann–Whitney U test was run on these data.ResultsUsing IOTF standards, 9.8% were overweight and 1.9% were obese. Only 1.6% of the sample met the criteria for prediabetes by fasting glucose but 12.4% of the sample met the criteria for prediabetes by HbA1c. None of the participants met criteria for diabetes. There were 2.3% of the participants that met the IDF criteria for metabolic syndrome. Adolescents from the larger urban center had higher rates of prediabetes, higher mean HbA1c, blood pressure, lipid values, and lower HDL levels.ConclusionsUse of HbA1c identified more adolescents with prediabetes than FBG. The HbA1c measure is an attractive screening tool for prediabetes in developing countries. Although rates of obesity in Ecuadorian adolescents are low there is significant evidence to suggest that prediabetes is permeating the smaller urban centers. Traditional screening tools may underestimate this risk.

Effect of exercise on the quality of life in type 2 diabetes mellitus: a systematic review.

Diabetic patients tend to have a poor quality of life. A sedentary lifestyle is considered to be a modifiable risk factor for type 2 diabetes and an independent predictor of poor quality of life. Exercise is a key treatment for people living with diabetes. The purpose of this study was to conduct a systematic review to assess the effect of exercise on the quality of life of people with type 2 diabetes. We conducted a systematic review using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines. PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, Cochrane Library, CINAHL and three Chinese databases were searched for studies published until January 2016. The review included all clinical trials that evaluated the effect of exercise on quality of life compared with that of usual care for people with type 2 diabetes. Two reviewers independently assessed the quality of all the included studies, by using the Downs and Black Quality Index (QI). Thirty studies met inclusion criteria, with 2785 participants. We divided the exercise into four modes: aerobic, resistance, a combination of aerobic and resistance and yoga. Aerobic exercise showed a significant effect between groups. Resistance and combined exercise showed mixed results. Yoga also showed good intervention effects on quality of life. The effect of aerobic exercise on the quality of life in people with type 2 diabetes was safe and effective. Then, most of the studies on aerobic exercise were of good methodological quality. The effects of resistance exercise and combined exercise on the quality of life in people with type 2 diabetes were mixed, and the effect of yoga on quality of life still need more research.

Exposure to Gestational Diabetes Mellitus: Impact on the Development of Early-Onset Type 2 Diabetes in Canadian First Nations and Non-First Nations Offspring.

Type 2 diabetes is increasing in children worldwide, with Canadian First Nations (FN) children disproportionally affected. The prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) also is increasing. The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of GDM exposure in utero and FN status on the subsequent risk of type 2 diabetes in offspring in the first 30 years of life. In this population-based historical prospective cohort study, we used administrative databases linked to a clinical database to explore the independent association and interaction between GDM and FN status on the subsequent development of type 2 diabetes in offspring. Among 321,008 births with a median follow-up of 15.1 years, both maternal GDM and FN status were independently associated with subsequent risk of type 2 diabetes in offspring in the first 30 years of life (hazard ratio 3.03 [95% CI 2.44-3.76; P < 0.0001] vs. 4.86 [95% CI 4.08-5.79; P < 0.0001], respectively). No interaction between GDM and FN status on type 2 diabetes risk was observed. FN status had a stronger impact on the development of type 2 diabetes in offspring than GDM. GDM is an important modifiable risk factor for type 2 diabetes, and its prevention may reduce the prevalence of subsequent type 2 diabetes in offspring. This study adds unique and rigorous evidence to the global public health debate about the impact of GDM on the long-term health of offspring.

BMI as a Modifiable Risk Factor for Type 2 Diabetes: Refining and Understanding Causal Estimates Using Mendelian Randomization.

This study focused on resolving the relationship between BMI and type 2 diabetes. The availability of multiple variants associated with BMI offers a new chance to resolve the true causal effect of BMI on type 2 diabetes; however, the properties of these associations and their validity as genetic instruments need to be considered alongside established and new methods for undertaking Mendelian randomization (MR). We explore the potential for pleiotropic genetic variants to generate bias, revise existing estimates, and illustrate value in new analysis methods. A two-sample MR approach with 96 genetic variants was used with three different analysis methods, two of which (MR-Egger and the weighted median) have been developed specifically to address problems of invalid instrumental variables. We estimate an odds ratio for type 2 diabetes per unit increase in BMI (kg/m(2)) of between 1.19 and 1.38, with the most stable estimate using all instruments and a weighted median approach (1.26 [95% CI 1.17, 1.34]). TCF7L2(rs7903146) was identified as a complex effect or pleiotropic instrument, and removal of this variant resulted in convergence of causal effect estimates from different causal analysis methods. This indicated the potential for pleiotropy to affect estimates and differences in performance of alternative analytical methods. In a real type 2 diabetes-focused example, this study demonstrates the potential impact of invalid instruments on causal effect estimates and the potential for new approaches to mitigate the bias caused.

Lifestyle behaviors and ethnic identity among diverse women at high risk for type 2 diabetes

BackgroundDiet and physical activity lifestyle behaviors are modifiable risk factors for type 2 diabetes and are shaped by culture, potentially influencing diabetes health disparities. ObjectivesWe examined whether ethnic identity—the strength of attachment to one’s ethnic group, and a long-standing focus of psychological research—could help account for variations in lifestyle behaviors within a diverse population at high risk for chronic disease. MethodsUsing data from the Gestational Diabetes’ Effects on Moms trial, this US-based cross-sectional study included 1463 pregnant women (74% from minority ethnic/racial groups; 46% born outside the US) with gestational diabetes (GDM), a common pregnancy complication conferring high risk for type 2 diabetes after delivery. Mixed linear regression models examined whether ethnic identity is associated with lifestyle behaviors after adjusting for demographic, clinical, and acculturative characteristics (e.g., nativity and length of residence in the US). ResultsIn the overall sample, a one-unit increase in ethnic identity score was significantly associated with 3% greater fiber intake, 4% greater fruit/vegetable intake, 11% greater total activity, and 11% greater walking (p values < 0.01). Within ethnic/racial groups, a one-unit increase in ethnic identity score was significantly associated with 17% greater fiber intake among Filipina women; 5% lower total caloric intake among non-Hispanic White women; and 40% greater total activity, 35% greater walking, and 8% greater total caloric intake among Latina women (p values ≤ 0.03). ConclusionResults from this large study suggest that ethnic group attachment is associated with some lifestyle behaviors, independent of acculturation indicators, among young women with GDM who are at high risk for type 2 diabetes. Stronger ethnic identity may promote certain choices known to be associated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes. Prospective research is needed to clarify the temporal nature of associations between ethnic identity and modifiable diabetes risk factors.