ABSTRACT
The prevalence of diabetes in Pima Indians is almost 13 times as high as in the mostly white population of Rochester, Minnesota [1]. Diabetes occurs in over one-third of Pima Indians aged 35-44 years and in over 60% of those ≥45 years old [2]. Many cases develop before the age of 25 years. Pima Indians develop only type 2 diabetes [8, 9], and they differ from other populations in that the disease develops at younger ages [1, 2]. Diabetic complications also develop at rates similar to those of other populations. In contrast to populations in which type 2 diabetes usually develops later in life, many Pima Indians have diabetes of sufficient duration for nephropathy to develop.
