Thread: Genes May Put Black Americans at Risk for Diabetes

we find this gentetic predisposition in other ethnic groups like the american indians( especially the Pima Indians) and south asians like the Indians from India. Groups or people that probably adapted to low calorie, harsh environments that naturally selected those who could efficiently store fat and process sugars....unfortunately, in a environment with abundant food source, it works agains them.

Yes, and when you live in an environment with abundant food and lack much education and/or self control, you're probably destined to be a fat ass. It's in your jeans!

It sounds like you're saying that natural selection somehow picked the lazy fat asses over those who tend to be more fit. How ironic!

Originally Posted by Roids1

It sounds like you're saying that natural selection somehow picked the lazy fat asses over those who tend to be more fit. How ironic!

It makes sense. India was in a state of perpetual starvation ( especially for the lower caste system).Those who were more efficient at storing calories survived over those that did not. That is true in general for humans in the past. This is basic evolutionary biology. No different than the sickle cell gene was naturally selected in Africa ( conferred resistance to malaria) but is now killing blacks who move to non -malaria , cold environments. Indians indians who moved to this country have a huge problem with metabolic syndrome as a result.

As a physician, I don't excuse "the gene factor" but when I see a person with certain genetic background ( I actually worked with the Pima indians in arizona) I am very good about warning them that unless they eat and excercise right, they are much more likely than someone else to develop type II diabetes. This just gives us more tools to work with. For the record, a huge percentage of the Pima INdians develop Type II diabetes at a very young age and it isn't always associated with weight ( or being fat lazay asses). That is why all the research in their genetic background.

In a society like ours where food is abundant, the very physical traits that allowed us to survive in starvation circumstances ( higher efficiency in storing fat) is killing us.

What's intersting about this study it was done on american blacks. American blacks have a 50% higher rate of hypertension than whites in this country, but not if you are an African black. ( And I see lots of 18 year old healthy , slim black athletes with hypertension) The genetics of hypertension for american blacks are different than african blacks. It bears out in practice since rarely do I have to put a black who just came from africa on bp meds. So this may not apply to all blacks.

I see you are in China, 你 会 说中 文 吗？

I see you are in China, 你 会 说中 文 吗？

Enough to get around on my own most of the time, but it's pretty broken. I can't read a single character though.

I didn't realize you were a prof of medicine. Interesting. I often wonder how much of a role genetics plays and how much of it is brought on or exaccerbated by diet and lifestyle. Often at the grocery store, I will peek in other people's shopping carts and you can almost get an idea of their life expectancy by what's in their cart. With many American blacks, you will see hot dogs, pork sausage, whole milk, sweet cereals, twinkies, orange-aide rather than orange juice. Regardless of genetics, I would think that sort of diet would lead to hypertension, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, etc. Sometimes, it just seems like people are getting a pass and problems they are causing themselves are being blamed in their genetics. I've even heard poverty blamed as a possible cause of obesity. How many african or native american villages have you visited and seen people living in abject poverty who were 100lbs overweight?

We are all separate prehistoric people thrust into a global cultural. I have never understood why this is so hard to grasp. So many misunderstood differences and solutions melt away with this elementary fact.

Thanks bandiadbabe

Originally Posted by Roids1

Enough to get around on my own most of the time, but it's pretty broken. I can't read a single character though.

I didn't realize you were a prof of medicine. Interesting. I often wonder how much of a role genetics plays and how much of it is brought on or exaccerbated by diet and lifestyle.

combination of both. I see 300 pound whales who have no hint of type II diabetes but see a 178 pound slightly overweight american black with full blown diabetes whose parents both had type II diabetes ( type I is not genetic)

I see quite a few athletes ( since I am myself) so they gravitate towards me. My own partner ( who is black) is a triathlete and has 5% body fat who has to take two blood pressure meds ( both his parents had hypertension in their 20's). I treat many long distance athletes, body builders etc. who despite perfect lifestyles and diet still have to take blood pressure or cholesterol or diabetes medicines. ( I have quite a few body builders who had LADA or type 1.5 diabetes but were misdiagnosed as type II diabetics). So I know how profoundly genetics plays a role in disease.

At the same time I live in Georgia, so I know how horrific the diet is here and how it plays a role in Georgia being one of the most obese states in the country. Here is something very interesting.... blacks and asians tend to be salt responsive hypertensives more than caucasians. Thus, low salt diets and medicines that regulate salt excretion are more helpful in this genetic subgroup than in caucasians.

I am interested in genetic studies since I have an identical twin ( she is a software engineer so way smarter than me) who at the tender age of 35 was diagnosed with breast cancer and had a massive blood clot (since both of us have Factor 5 Leyden. )We both are athletic, ( I am a ultra long distance mountain biker and she a long distance swimmer) I feel my environment is more toxic since I spent years as an inorganic chemist exposed to horrible solvents and chemicals. I wonder what in her environment triggered her diseases but not mine? ( since we obviously share the same genetic code).

I did not realize you could not read chinese characters, dui4 bu qi3 ( pin yin with tone designators)

Originally Posted by Roids1

I often wonder how much of a role genetics plays and how much of it is brought on or exaccerbated by diet and lifestyle. Often at the grocery store, I will peek in other people's shopping carts and you can almost get an idea of their life expectancy by what's in their cart. With many American blacks, you will see hot dogs, pork sausage, whole milk, sweet cereals, twinkies, orange-aide rather than orange juice. Regardless of genetics, I would think that sort of diet would lead to hypertension, high cholesterol, high blood sugar, etc. Sometimes, it just seems like people are getting a pass and problems they are causing themselves are being blamed in their genetics. I've even heard poverty blamed as a possible cause of obesity. How many african or native american villages have you visited and seen people living in abject poverty who were 100lbs overweight?

You see more of that kind of food in shopping carts these days because the more healthy a food is the more expensive it is and due to the economy people are spending less on food that is healthy because they cannot afford to eat healthy.

The cheapest food is processed and made up mostly of highly refined carbohydrates.

People on food stamps/ living in poverty will load up on it because it is cheap.

Originally Posted by DBowden

You see more of that kind of food in shopping carts these days because the more healthy a food is the more expensive it is and due to the economy people are spending less on food that is healthy because they cannot afford to eat healthy.

The cheapest food is processed and made up mostly of highly refined carbohydrates.

People on food stamps/ living in poverty will load up on it because it is cheap.

It is cheaper, but this seems to be the case, regardless of the economy. I wonder if some people would eat healthy even if it were not more $. Self control seems to be an issue also. Obviously sweet cereals, whole milk, and white bread taste better than healthier foods. Many lower SES people seem to lack the ability to give up short term pleasure. If you have extra money to spend on booze and cigarettes, you could use some of that money to purchase healthier food. Is a chicken salad at McDonald's any more expensive than a Big Mac combo meal? Is a diet coke more $ than a regular coke? No, but the latter is a lot more sugary and tastier. The problem most likely is a combination of genetics, cost, lifestyle and personal responsibility.

Originally Posted by bandaidwoman

we find this gentetic predisposition in other ethnic groups like the american indians( especially the Pima Indians) and south asians like the Indians from India. Groups or people that probably adapted to low calorie, harsh environments that naturally selected those who could efficiently store fat and process sugars....unfortunately, in a environment with abundant food source, it works agains them.

I feel really sorry for the Pima Indians, they're picked up for 9/10 studies i've ever read on this subject. Recently did an assignment on metabolism and i got sick of reading about them, haha.

More like obesity, Pima Indians have the highest rate of type 2 diabetes in the world. Blacks are second to Indians but it is close. Both races have a very high obesity rate.