Ethnic difference in the prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes mellitus in regions with Sami and non-Sami populations in Norway – the SAMINOR1 study

• Published in: International Journal of Circumpolar Health
• Main Authors: Ali Naseribafrouei, Bent-Martin Eliassen, Marita Melhus, Ann Ragnhild Broderstad
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Taylor & Francis Group 2016
• Subjects: prevalence; dysglycaemia; indigenous people; SAMINOR; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Arctic; Norway; Circumpolar Health; International Journal of Circumpolar Health; sami
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.3402/ijch.v75.31697; https://doaj.org/article/425c0cf564424e4f91e770f4dd312ac2

Objective: The aim of this study was to measure the prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes mellitus in rural populations of Norway, as well as to explore potential ethnic disparities with respect to dysglycaemia in Sami and non-Sami populations. Design: Cross-sectional population-based study. Methods: The SAMINOR1 study was performed in 2003–2004. The study took place in regions with both Sami and non-Sami populations and had a response rate of 60.9%. Information in the SAMINOR1 study was collected using two self-administered questionnaires, clinical examination and laboratory tests. The present analysis included 15,208 men and women aged 36–79 years from the SAMINOR1 study. Results: Age-standardised prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes mellitus among Sami men was 3.4 and 5.5%, respectively. Corresponding values for non-Sami men were 3.3 and 4.6%. Age-standardised prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes mellitus for Sami women was 2.7 and 4.8%, respectively, while corresponding values for non-Sami women were 2.3 and 4.5%. Relative risk ratios for dysglycaemia among Sami participants compared with non-Sami participants were significantly different in different geographical regions, with the southern region having the highest prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes mellitus among Sami participants. Conclusion: We observed a heterogeneity in the prevalence of pre-diabetes and diabetes mellitus in different geographical regions both within and between different ethnic groups.