Objective: Approximately 32,000 Chaldean Americans now live in the Detroit Metropolitan area. Our objective was to estimate the prevalence of diabetes and glucose intolerance among Chaldean Americans in Detroit, Michigan.
Research design and methods: A sampling list of 1456 residential households was constructed for a geographically defined area of northwest Detroit with a large Chaldean population; each household was screened for eligibility. Of the 702 eligible households, 351 agreed to participate (50% household response rate). Of the 258 eligible adult subjects in these households, 85 men and 149 women > or = 20 years of age agreed to participate (91% subject response rate).
Results: The prevalence of diabetes increased with age and was 24% for men and 33% for women. Almost half the participants with diabetes (45%) had not been previously diagnosed. The age- and sex-adjusted prevalence of impaired fasting glucose (IFG) and/or impaired glucose tolerance (IGT) was 35%. The prevalence of dysglycemia, defined as IFG, IGT, or diabetes, was 63%.
Conclusions: The prevalence of diabetes and glucose intolerance is high among adult Chaldean Americans in Michigan and represents a major clinical and public health problem. Community-based programs targeting prevention are needed.