ABSTRACT
Type 2 diabetes, end-stage renal disease, heart disease and stroke, cancer, and fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS) comprise the constellation of diet-related chronic conditions that affect racial and ethnic minority populations to a greater extent than the general population. As indicated in Box 6.1, all of these diseases are more prevalent in African Americans than in whites. In addition, FAS and type-2 diabetes are particularly prevalent among Native Americans, while the death rate from stomach cancer is substantially higher among Asians and Pacific Islanders, including Native Hawaiians, than among other populations. This chapter focuses on cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and cancer. We examine public health initiatives taken to reduce the burden of these diet-related chronic conditions, especially for health disparity populations (see Box 6.2).
