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Relationship between plasma glucose concentrations and Native Hawaiian Ancestry: The Native Hawaiian Health Research Project

International Journal of Obesity volume 26, pages 778–782 (2002)Cite this article

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the relationship between fasting glucose and 2 h glucose with percentage of Hawaiian ancestry and ethnic admixture.

Design: Cross-sectional epidemiological study of type 2 diabetes and heart disease risk factor prevalence among Native Hawaiians.

Subjects: A total of 578 Native Hawaiians residing in two rural communities were examined between 1993 and 1996. Sample sizes in statistical analyses varied due to missing data and selection criteria based on ethnic ancestry.

Measurements: Percentage of Hawaiian ancestry and non-Hawaiian ethnic admixture, assessed by self-report. Fasting and 2 h post glucose challenge plasma glucose levels. Anthropometric measures (height, weight, waist and hip circumferences). Self-report of diet and physical activity. Medical history.

Results: Increased Hawaiian blood quantum was significantly associated with increased fasting glucose (P=0.0047), increased body mass index (BMI; P<0.0001), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR; P=0.0103), and age (P<0.0001), but not with leisure time physical activity and total dietary caloric intake. This association was attenuated after adjusting for BMI and WHR, but not by age-adjustment alone. However, when the effects of descent from other ethnic groups was examined in a subset of participants, full-Hawaiians had significantly higher fasting glucose concentrations (7.28 mmol/l) than part-Hawaiians after adjustments for age, gender, BMI and WHR. In contrast, part-Hawaiians of predominantly Asian ancestry had the highest 2 h glucose concentrations (7.62 mmol/l).

Conclusion: These results suggest that ethnic admixture may be an important, but extremely complex, factor concerning the high prevalence of type 2 diabetes observed among this population. The complexity of this relationship may have obscured the relationship between ancestry and glucose tolerance in earlier observations of this population.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by an award from the Research Centers in Minority Institutions Program of the National Center for Research Resources, National Institutes of Health to the University of Hawaii at Manoa, Grant no. RR03061. In addition, this research was partially supported by Research Centers in Minority Institutions award P20 RR/AI 11091, from the National Center for Research Resources. We thank the NHHR Community Clinic staff and all the residents of the communities of North Kohala and West Kaua'i. We are also grateful to Papa Ola Lokahi and Hui Malama Ola Na 'Oiwi, and Ho'ola Lahui Hawai'i, with special thanks to case managers Louise Kaonohi Hector, RN, and Pili Iwai, and Dr and Mrs Wayne Fukino. We are also grateful to Dr Richard Hamman of the University of Colorado, Dr Wilfred Fujimoto of the University of Washington, Division of Metabolism, Endocrinology, and Nutrition, and Dr Edward Boyko of the Veterans Administration, University of Washington for their advice during the preparation of this manuscript

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Pacific Biomedical Research Center, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

    A Grandinetti, HK Chang, R Chen & BL Rodriguez

  2. Division of Clinical Epidemiology, Department of Medicine, John A Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

    A Grandinetti, HK Chang, BL Rodriguez & JD Curb

  3. Department of Psychology, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

    J Keawe'aimoku Kaholokula

  4. Honolulu Heart Program, Kuakini Medical Center, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

    BL Rodriguez & JD Curb

  5. Department of Medicine, John A Burns School of Medicine, University of Hawaii at Manoa, Honolulu, Hawaii, USA

    JS Melish

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  1. A Grandinetti
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Correspondence to A Grandinetti.

Appendix

Appendix

NHHR Project: Dr Richard F Arakaki, Dr Marjorie Mau, Kamana'opono Crabbe MA; Sarah Patrick, PhD; Bruce Johnson, BSN; Cynthia Kenui; Joseph K. Kaholokula; Danelle Coakley, Dathan Loyd; Jeffrey Coakley; Judy Ah Sam; Susan Hook; William Hook; Wailana Mata; Healani Keuma; Pili Iwai; and Kay Naka'ahiki.

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Grandinetti, A., Keawe'aimoku Kaholokula, J., Chang, H. et al. Relationship between plasma glucose concentrations and Native Hawaiian Ancestry: The Native Hawaiian Health Research Project. Int J Obes 26, 778–782 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802000

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