Why are South Asians prone to type 2 diabetes? A hypothesis based on underexplored pathways

South Asians have a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes, even at a lower BMI. This review sets out our perspective and hypothesis on the reasons for this. Emerging data from epidemiological studies indicate that South Asians may have a lower ability to secrete insulin, and thus may have less compensa...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Diabetologia 2020-06, Vol.63 (6), p.1103-1109
Main Authors: Narayan, K. M. Venkat, Kanaya, Alka M.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Beta cells
Diabetes
Diabetes mellitus (non-insulin dependent)
Epidemiology
Human Physiology
Hypotheses
Insulin
Insulin resistance
Internal Medicine
Medicine
Medicine & Public Health
Metabolic Diseases
Review
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Summary:South Asians have a high prevalence of type 2 diabetes, even at a lower BMI. This review sets out our perspective and hypothesis on the reasons for this. Emerging data from epidemiological studies indicate that South Asians may have a lower ability to secrete insulin, and thus may have less compensatory reserves when challenged with unhealthy lifestyles. Thus, insulin resistance may not be the primary driver of type 2 diabetes in this population. Furthermore, data also suggest that South Asians, on average, have lower muscle mass, and may have a specific propensity to ectopic hepatic fat accumulation and for intramyocellular fat deposition, which cause further disruption in insulin action. We hypothesise that the high diabetes susceptibility in South Asians is evolutionarily set through dual parallel and/or interacting mechanisms: reduced beta cell function and impaired insulin action owing to low lean mass, which is further accentuated by ectopic fat deposition in the liver and muscle. These areas warrant further research.
ISSN:0012-186X
1432-0428
DOI:10.1007/s00125-020-05132-5