Ethnic differences in risk factors and prevalence of type 2 diabetes in the adult population of the Russian Federation (a sub-analysis of the NATION study)

A retrospective analysis of the database of the NATION nation-wide epidemiological cross-sectional study was carried out. Depending on the self-declared ethnicity and anthropological characteristics, the following ethnic groups were identified: “Mongoloid population”, “Peoples of the Volga region”, “Peoples of the North Caucasus”, “Peoples of Transcaucasia”, “Russians”. The analysis consisted of several stages and included: analysis of the selected groups’ anthropometrics, analysis of the prevalence of carbohydrate metabolism disorders in the selected ethnic groups, analysis of ethnic-specific T2D risk factors, and analysis of region-specific factors affecting the prevalence of carbohydrate metabolism disorders in various ethnic groups. We defined carbohydrate metabolism disorders as diabetes and/or a prediabetes condition. In accordance with the WHO criteria, HbA1c≥6.5% was interpreted as diabetes, whereas values ​​in the range of 5.7%≤HbA1c<6.5% as prediabetes.RESULTS: The highest prevalence of carbohydrate metabolism disorders was observed among the “Peoples of the Volga region” group (31.2%), the lowest – among the “Peoples of the North Caucasus” group (15.6%). The “Peoples of the Volga region” group had a significantly lower BMI vs. the “Peoples of the North Caucasus” group. Carbohydrate metabolism disorders occurred more often in patients with abdominal obesity / 1st-stage obesity or aged over 45 among the “Mongoloid population” and the “Peoples of the Volga region” groups vs. the “Peoples of the Northern Caucasus” and the “Peoples of Transcaucasia” groups. Prevalence of carbohydrate metabolism disorders among the “Peoples of the Volga region” group residing in their native lands was higher than among Russians residing in the same regions: 32.5% vs. 24.3% (p<0.001 χ2 test) and also higher than among Russians residing in the Central Federal District: 32.5% vs. 27.4%, respectively (p=0.001, χ2 test). Prevalence of carbohydrate metabolism disorders among the “Peoples of the North Caucasus” group was lower than among the “Russians” group: 13.9% vs. 27.36%, respectively (p<0.001, χ2 test). Prevalence of carbohydrate metabolism disorders among the “Peoples of the North Caucasus” group living in their native lands (n=598) was lower than among the same group residing elsewhere in Russia (n=164) (13.9% vs. 21.95%, p=0.012, χ2 test)