My own focus has not been on the American continent but rather on the South
Pacific. Nevertheless I can point at some papers dealing with the relation
between diabetes and acculturation in Amerindians: [1-9]. The unaccultured
Yanomamo Indians showed a "supernormal" glucose tolerance test, i.e. a very
modest increase of blood glucose and serum insulin after drinking a glucose
solution [9].
Although familial heritage apparently is a strong determinant for
cardiovascular risk within westernized populations, genetic factors do not
appear to explain the rarity of cardiovascular disease and diabetes among
traditional populations. On the contrary (and this may have been your
point), after adopting a western lifestyle subsistence horticulturalists
like the Amerindians seem more prone to develop diabetes and cardiovascular
disease than populations of northern european ancestry [10-16], athough
some of them apparently more so than others [10, 17, 18].
From these and other studies it is reasonable to assume that environmental
factors may actually be necessary requirements for the development of
non-insulin dependent diabetes mellitus but also that the susceptibility to
a western lifestyle differs slightly between populations.
Genetics and environment as causes of diabetes are thus not mutually
exclusive. Or, as the late Geoffrey Rose put it, "the answer to 'Why does
this particular individual in this population get this disease?' is not
necessarily the same as the answer to 'Why does this population have so
much disease?'" [19]. The two approaches should not be in academic
competition. But they do compete for funding.
I also suggest you search the Medline by use of some of these names for
more references.
Best wishes, Staffan Lindeberg
1. Newman WP, Middaugh JP, Propst MT, Rogers DR. Atherosclerosis in
Alaska Natives and non-natives. Lancet 1993; 341: 1056-7.
2. Thouez JP, Ekoé JM, Foggin PM, et al. Obesity, hypertension,
hyperuricemia and diabetes mellitus among the Cree and Inuit of Northern
Cuébec. Arct Med Res 1990; 49: 180-8.
3. West. North American Indians. In: Trowell H, Burkitt D, ed.
Western diseases: their emergence and prevention. Cambridge, Mass: Harvard
University Press, 1981: 129-37.
4. Alpert JS, Goldberg R, Ockene IS, Taylor P. Heart disease in native
Americans. Cardiology 1991; 78: 3-12.
5. Knowler WC, Bennett PH, Hamman RF, Miller M. Diabetes incidence and
prevalence in Pima Indians: a 19-fold greater incidence than in Rochester,
Minnesota. Am J Epidemiol 1978; 108: 497-505.
6. Groom D. Cardiovascular observations on Tarahumara Indian
runners--the modern Spartans. Am Heart J 1971; 81: 304-14.
7. Connor WE, Cerqueira MT, Connor RW, Wallace RB, Malinow MR,
Casdorph HR. The plasma lipids, lipoproteins, and diet of the Tarahumara
indians of Mexico. Am J Clin Nutr 1978; 31: 1131-42.
8. Baruzzi R, Franco L. Amerindians of Brazil. In: Trowell H, Burkitt
D, ed. Western diseases: their emergence and prevention. Cambridge, Mass:
Harvard University Press, 1981: 138-153.
9. Spielman RS, Fajans SS, Neel JV, Pek S, Floyd JC, Oliver WJ.
Glucose tolerance in two unacculturated Indian tribes of Brazil.
Diabetologia 1982; 23: 90-3.
10. King H. The epidemiology of diabetes mellitus in Papua New Guinea
and the Pacific: adverse consequences of natural selection in the face of
sociocultural change. In: Attenborough RD, Alpers MP, ed. Human Biology in
Papua New Guinea. The Small Cosmos. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1992: 363-72.
11. Zimmet P. Epidemiology of diabetes and its macrovascular
manifestations in Pacific populations: the medical effects of social
progress. Diabetes Care 1979; 2: 144-53.
12. Neel JV. Diabetes mellitus: a "thrifty" genotype rendered
detrimental by progress? Am J Hum Genet 1963; 14: 353-62.
13. Neel JV. The thrifty genotype revisited. In: Kobberlong J,
Tattersall R, ed. The genetics of diabetes mellitus. London: Academic
Press, 1992: 283-93.
14. Brand Miller JC, Colagiuri S. The carnivore connection: dietary
carbohydrate in the evolution of NIDDM. Diabetologia 1994; 37: 1280-6.
15. Hales CN, Barker DJP. Type 2 (non-insulin-dependent) diabetes
mellitus: the thrifty phenotype hypothesis. Diabetologia 1992; 35: 595-601.
16. Allen JS, Cheer SM. The Non-Thrifty Genotype. Current Anthropology
1996; 37: 831-42.
17. Cruickshank JK, Beevers DG, ed. Ethnic Factors in Health and
Disease. Oxford: Wright, 1989:
18. Nelson RG, Sievers ML, Knowler WC, et al. Low incidence of fatal
coronary heart disease in Pima Indians despite high prevalence of
non-insulin-dependent diabetes. Circulation 1990; 81: 987-95.
19. Rose G. Sick individuals and sick populations. Int J Epidemiol
1985; 14: 32-8.
>From: Noemi F. Creagan <[log in to unmask]>
>To: [log in to unmask]
>Subject: diabetes
>Date: Wednesday, January 20, 1999 4:53 PM
>
>Hello,
>
>I am looking for articles that deal with genetic and anthropological
>implications (or explanations) of diabetes in North and/or South American
>Indians. I have found a few articles:
>Jason S. Shapiro (1997). Non-insulin-dependent Diabetes Mellitus among
>American Indians: a problem in human ecology American Indian culture and
>research journal. 21:2 pp 197-227.
>
>Introduction to type 2 diabetes / produced by the Nashville Area IHS
>Diabetes Program in cooperation with IHS Diabetes Program, HQW ; Beth
>Drabant. HE 20.302:D 54/8(call number)
>
>Prevention and control of diabetes among native Americans : hearing before
>the Select Committee on Indian Affairs, United States Senate, Ninety-ninth
>Congress, second session, on S. 1988 ... April 15, 1986, Washington,
>DC.PublisherWashington : U.S. G.P.O. : For sale by the Supt. of Docs.,
>Congressional Sales Office, U.S. G.P.O., 1986. "Y 4.In 2/11:S.hrg.99-764"
>(call number)
>
>
>please let me know if I am in the right track
>
>Thank you
>Noemi
Staffan Lindeberg, M.D. Ph.D.
Dept of Community Health Sciences, Lund University, Mailing address:
Primary Health Care Centre, Sjobo, S-22738 Sweden, +46 416 28140, Fax +46
416 18395 <[log in to unmask]>
http://www.paleodiet.com/lindeberg/
|
