Prevalence and Determinants of Type 2 Diabetes Among Filipino-Americans in the Houston, Texas Metropolitan Statistical Area

Abstract

OBJECTIVE—The few available studies suggest that Filipino-Americans have an increased risk for developing type 2 diabetes. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of previously diagnosed type 2 diabetes and its major risk factors among Filipino-Americans.

RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS—A cross-sectional survey was conducted in the Houston, Texas, metropolitan statistical area between September 1998 and March 2000. The convenience sample included 831 Filipino-American participants aged 20–74 years. The major risk factors assessed were age, sex, family history of diabetes, socioeconomic status, obesity (BMI >30), physical inactivity, acculturation, region of birth and, in women, history of gestational diabetes and delivery of a baby weighing >9 lb.

RESULTS—Overall prevalence was estimated to be 16.1% (95% CI 13.5–18.7). Multivariate logistic regression analyses identified independent risk factors: increasing age from ages 35–44 years (odds ratio [OR] 5.6, 95% CI 1.5–20.5) to 65–74 years (34.2, 7.2–163.0); male sex (1.8, 1.1–32.1); family history of diabetes (4.7, 2.6–8.5); obesity (3.6, 1.4–9.0); region of birth, Mindanao (3.2, 1.3–7.7); and, among women, gestational diabetes (21.7, 6.7–69.7) and low income (5.3, 1.4–20.2).

CONCLUSIONS—The study observed a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes and supports earlier studies suggesting that Filipinos are at higher risk for type 2 diabetes than the U.S. non-Hispanic white population.