Ethnic Groups and Diabetes

Some racial and ethnic groups have a greater chance of getting diabetes. They include American Indians, African Americans, Hispanics/Latinos, Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders. Here is the prevalence of diabetes by race/ethnicity in people 20 years or older:

Non-Hispanic whites: 11.3 million. 7.8 percent of all non-Hispanic whites have diabetes.

Non-Hispanic blacks: 2.3 million. 10.8 percent of all non-Hispanic blacks have diabetes. On average, non-Hispanic blacks are 1.7 times as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of similar age.

Mexican Americans: 1.2 million. 10.6 percent of all Mexican Americans have diabetes. On average, Mexican Americans are 1.9 times as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of similar age.

Other Hispanic/Latino Americans: On average, Hispanic/Latino Americans are almost twice as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of similar age. (Sufficient data are not currently available to derive more specific estimates.)

American Indians and Alaska Natives: 9 percent of American Indians and Alaska Natives have diagnosed diabetes. On average, American Indians and Alaska Natives are 2.8 times as likely to have diagnosed diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of similar age.

Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders: Prevalence data for diabetes among Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders are limited. Some groups within this population are at increased risk for diabetes. For example, data collected from 1988 to 1995 suggest that Native Hawaiians are twice as likely to have diagnosed diabetes as white residents of Hawaii.