Fatty acids, diet, and body indices of type II diabetic American whites and blacks and Ghanaians

Objective This research was designed to study the diet, lipid profile, and metabolic and body indices of type II diabetic and non-diabetic subjects among American white and black and Ghanaian populations. Methods Fifty-one type II diabetic and non-diabetic volunteers were recruited through medical clinics. Data collected included food intake and anthropometric measurement. Blood samples were taken for glucose and serum lipid analyses. Serum non-esterified fatty acids, very low-density lipoproteins, low-density lipoproteins, high-density lipoproteins, total cholesterol, and triacylglycerols levels were measured. Results The Ghanaian subjects had lower body mass indexes than did the American white and black subjects (P < 0.01), although they recorded the highest carbohydrate intake. Dietary fat intake was not significantly correlated with body fat level or body mass index among the different observational groups. The serum ratio of saturated to polyunsaturated fat was higher in all diabetics than in controls and higher in Ghanaians than in Americans. Total cholesterol, triacylglycerols, and lipoproteins were within normal ranges for diabetic and non-diabetic subjects. The ratio of total cholesterol to high-density lipoprotein cholesterol was slightly elevated among the white diabetics (P < 0.05). Conclusions The data showed a higher metabolism of carbohydrate for energy in the Ghanaian group than in the other groups. In addition, fat metabolism may differ between Americans and Ghanaians. For many variables, black Americans were more similar to white Americans than to Ghanaians. These observations imply that cultural factors may contribute more than ethnic origin to the etiology of diabetes.