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Early Emergence of Ethnic Differences in Type 2 Diabetes Precursors in the UK: The Child Heart and Health Study in England (CHASE Study)

Lookup NU author(s): Dr UNKNOWN Gibb, Dr Naweed Sattar, Emeritus Professor Sir George Sir George Alberti

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Abstract

Background: Adults of South Asian origin living in the United Kingdom have high risks of type 2 diabetes and central obesity; raised circulating insulin, triglyceride, and C-reactive protein concentrations; and low HDL-cholesterol when compared with white Europeans. Adults of African-Caribbean origin living in the UK have smaller increases in type 2 diabetes risk, raised circulating insulin and HDL-cholesterol, and low triglyceride and C-reactive protein concentrations. We examined whether corresponding ethnic differences were apparent in childhood. Methods and Findings: We performed a cross-sectional survey of 4,796 children aged 9-10 y in three UK cities who had anthropometric measurements (68% response) and provided blood samples (58% response); ethnicity was based on parental definition. In age-adjusted comparisons with white Europeans (n = 1,153), South Asian children (n = 1,306) had higher glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c) (% difference: 2.1, 95% CI 1.6 to 2.7), fasting insulin (% difference 30.0, 95% CI 23.4 to 36.9), triglyceride (% difference 12.9, 95% CI 9.4 to 16.5), and C-reactive protein (% difference 43.3, 95% CI 28.6 to 59.7), and lower HDL-cholesterol (% difference 22.9, 95% CI -4.5 to -1.3). Higher adiposity levels among South Asians (based on skinfolds and bioimpedance) did not account for these patterns. Black African-Caribbean children (n = 1,215) had higher levels of HbA1c, insulin, and C-reactive protein than white Europeans, though the ethnic differences were not as marked as in South Asians. Black African-Caribbean children had higher HDL-cholesterol and lower triglyceride levels than white Europeans; adiposity markers were not increased. Conclusions: Ethnic differences in type 2 diabetes precursors, mostly following adult patterns, are apparent in UK children in the first decade. Some key determinants operate before adult life and may provide scope for early prevention.


Publication metadata

Author(s): Whincup PH, Nightingale CM, Owen CG, Rudnicka AR, Gibb I, McKay CM, Donin AS, Sattar N, Alberti KGMM, Cook DG

Publication type: Article

Publication status: Published

Journal: PLoS Medicine

Year: 2010

Volume: 7

Issue: 4

Print publication date: 20/04/2010

Date deposited: 21/06/2010

ISSN (print): 1549-1277

ISSN (electronic): 1549-1676

Publisher: Public Library of Science

URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1371/journal.pmed.1000263

DOI: 10.1371/journal.pmed.1000263


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Funding

Funder referenceFunder name
068362/Z/02/ZWellcome Trust
PG/06/003British Heart Foundation

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