Summary
Filipino Americans form the second-largest Asian-American and Pacific Islanders subgroup. Growing evidence suggests that Filipino Americans have higher rates of diabetes than non-Hispanic whites. The study has two key objectives: To determine the prevalence of diabetes in non-obese Filipino Americans compared to non-obese non-Hispanic whites, and to identify risk factors for diabetes in non-obese Filipino men and women.
Secondary analysis of population-based data was conducted from combined 2007, 2009 and 2011 California Health Interview Surveys (CHIS) adult surveys. The study sample was restricted to non-obese Filipino Americans and non-Hispanic whites. Non-obese Filipino Americans had more than twice the odds of diabetes compared to non-Hispanic whites, even after correcting for several known risk factors.
For non-obese Filipino men, older age, poverty, cigarette smoking, and being overweight are associated with increased odds for diabetes, while older age was the only factor associated with diabetes among Filipina women.
Publication Authors:
- Esme Fuller-Thomson
- et al