Vitamin D levels, vitamin D receptor polymorphisms and HOMA2 model in Cuban Americans, Haitian Americans, and African Americans with and without type 2 Diabetes

This cross sectional study investigated the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels, vitamin D receptor (VDR) polymorphisms, HOMA2 and diabetes status in Cuban Americans, Haitian Americans, and African Americans. The sample for the study included a total of 885 participants (Cuban American = 370; Haitian American = 259; African American = 256). Serum 25(OH)D levels were determined using a commercial ELISA kit from Immunodiagnostic Systems Limited. Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR- RFLP) was used for genotyping BsmI and TaqI, Real-time- Polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used for ApaI. HOMA2 model calculations were used as a surrogate marker for insulin resistance, insulin sensitivity and β-cell function. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS (Version 18.0, Chicago, IL, U.S.). Student’s t-test and analysis of variance (ANOVA), c2 test and logistic regression analysis were used. We found that Cuban Americans without T2D had significantly lower odds of having insufficient 25(OH)D compared to all other groups. Participants with darker skin (Haitian Americans and African Americans) and those with T2D had the greatest risk of having insufficient levels of 25(OH)D. Cuban Americans with T2D had a protective factor for vitamin D insufficiency if they carried the TaqI genotype (tt) (p \u3c 0.02) and Cuban Americans without T2D had the highest β-cell function levels (p \u3c 0.05). Further investigation is needed to have a better understanding of the role vitamin D, VDR polymorphisms and the role HOMA2 model plays in the three ethnicities. Awareness of the high prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency among Haitian Americans and African Americans and also in those with T2D may sensitize physicians and dietitians to increase efforts to prevent vitamin D insufficiency. Further research to investigate the role and mechanism of action of vitamin D and diabetes is warranted

Healthy Eating Index and Alternate Healthy Eating Index among Haitian Americans and African Americans with and without Type 2 Diabetes

Ethnicities within Black populations have not been distinguished in most nutrition studies. We sought to examine dietary differences between African Americans (AA) and Haitian Americans (HA) with and without type 2 diabetes using the Healthy Eating Index, 2005 (HEI-05), and the Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI). The design was cross-sectional N = 471 (225 AA, 246 HA) and recruitment was by community outreach. The eating indices were calculated from data collected with the Harvard food-frequency questionnaire. African Americans had lower HEI-05 scores β = −10.9 (−8.67, 13.1); SE = 1.12, P < .001 than HA. Haitian American females and AA males had higher AHEI than AA females and HA males, respectively, (P = .006) adjusting for age and education. Participants with diabetes had higher adherence to the HEI-05 β = 3.90 (1.78, 6.01), SE = 1.08, P < .001 and lower adherence to the AHEI β = −9.73 (16.3, −3.19), SE = 3.33, P = .004, than participants without diabetes. The findings underscore the importance of disaggregating ethnicities and disease state when assessing diet

Obesity and Serum High Sensitivity C-Reactive Protein Levels Among Elderly Turkish Immigrants in the Netherlands with Type 2 Diabetes

The study examined the associations of anthropometric measures of obesity with high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels in Turkish immigrants with type 2 diabetes (T2D) living in the Netherlands. A total of 110 participants, physician-diagnosed with T2D, aged 30 years and older were recruited from multiple sources from The Hague, Netherlands. Serum hs-CRP levels were measured with immunoturbidimetric assay. Glycated hemoglobin (A1C) was determined by high-pressure liquid chromatography. Measures of obesity: body weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), hip circumference (HC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were determined. Statistical analysis included descriptive statistics, Pearson’s correlations and multiple linear regressions (MLR) stratified by gender. Hs-CRP was log transformed to achieve normality. Subjects with hs-CRP levels \u3e10 mg/L (n = 17) were excluded from the analysis. Females had a higher BMI (p = 0.007), HC (p \u3c 0.001), and WHtR (p = 0.011) as compared to males. Conversely, males had a higher weight (p = 0.007), and WHR (p \u3c 0.001) than females. MLR showed that after controlling for covariates, log hs-CRP was positively associated with BMI (B = 0.039, SE = 0.019, β = 0.287, p \u3c 0.05), WC (B = 0.025, SE = 0.011, β = 0.332, p \u3c 0.05) and WHtR (B = 4.015, SE = 1.464, β = 0.376, p \u3c 0.01) in females only. Gender-specific associations between obesity measures and hs-CRP level need to be further investigated in the Turkish immigrant population. Hs-CRP assessment may be added as a standard of care for T2D treatment within this population

Healthy Eating Index and Alternate Healthy Eating Index among Haitian Americans and African Americans with and without Type 2 Diabetes

Ethnicities within Black populations have not been distinguished in most nutrition studies. We sought to examine dietary differences between African Americans (AA) and Haitian Americans (HA) with and without type 2 diabetes using the Healthy Eating Index, 2005 (HEI-05), and the Alternate Healthy Eating Index (AHEI). The design was cross-sectional (225 AA, 246 HA) and recruitment was by community outreach. The eating indices were calculated from data collected with the Harvard food-frequency questionnaire. African Americans had lower HEI-05 scores (−8.67, 13.1); , than HA. Haitian American females and AA males had higher AHEI than AA females and HA males, respectively, () adjusting for age and education. Participants with diabetes had higher adherence to the HEI-05 (1.78, 6.01), , and lower adherence to the AHEI (16.3, −3.19), , , than participants without diabetes. The findings underscore the importance of disaggregating ethnicities and disease state when assessing diet