DIABETES IN JAPANESE-BRAZILIANS - INFLUENCE OF THE ACCULTURATION PROCESS

Epidemiologic studies of migrant populations provide very promising cl ues towards understanding the roles of genetics and environmental fact ors in the etiology of diabetes mellitus. Populations. of Japanese anc estry are of particular interest due to marked differences in prevalen ce rates of non-insulin dependent diabetes (NIDDM) when comparing thos e living in Japan with those who migrated to western countries. Brazil offers very favorable conditions to the study of diabetes in the Japa nese origin population. Presently, Brazil has the largest population o f Japanese ancestry outside Japan. A cross-sectional study comparing f irst (Issei) and second (Nisei) generations of Japanese-Brazilians liv ing in the city of Bauru, in the industrialized stare of SBo Paulo, so utheast of Brazil, was carried out between May and November 1993. The study sample consisted of all first generation (127 men and 111 women) and a random sample of second generation (136 men and 156 women) aged 40-79 years. Results show that: 1-The prevalence of diabetes in Japan ese Brazilians (12.8 and 16.2% for first and second generations) are h igher than the rates reported for Japan at comparable age-groups. 2-Co mparing generations, the age-adjusted prevalence of diabetes was highe r in the second generation only for men (men: 12.4 vs. 21.7%; women: 1 1.6 vs. 11.4%). 3-Obesity was more prevalent in the second generation among men (Men: 34.6 vs. 45.7%, women: 39.6 vs. 40.8%).