Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › Academic › peer-review
Type 2 diabetes burden among migrants in Europe : unravelling the causal pathways. / Agyemang, Charles; van der Linden, Eva L.; Bennet, Louise.
In: Diabetologia, Vol. 64, No. 12, 12.2021, p. 2665-2675.Research output: Contribution to journal › Review article › Academic › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Type 2 diabetes burden among migrants in Europe
T2 - unravelling the causal pathways
AU - Agyemang, Charles
AU - van der Linden, Eva L.
AU - Bennet, Louise
N1 - Funding Information: CA is supported by the European Research Council Consolidation (grant no. 772244). LB is supported by the Swedish Research Council (Linné grant to LUDC 349–2006-237, Exodiab 2009–1039), Swedish Foundation Strategic Research Dnr IRC15–0068). Publisher Copyright: © 2021, The Author(s).
PY - 2021/12
Y1 - 2021/12
N2 - European populations are ethnically and culturally diverse due to international migration. Evidence indicates large ethnic inequalities in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes. This review discusses the burden of type 2 diabetes and its related complications, and the potential explanatory mechanisms among migrants in Europe. The current available data suggest that the rate of type 2 diabetes is higher in all migrant groups and that they develop this disease at an earlier age than the host European populations. The level of diabetes awareness among migrant populations is high, but glycaemic control remains suboptimal compared with Europeans. The culturally adapted lifestyle modification intervention trials to prevent type 2 diabetes mainly focus on South Asian adults in Europe. Diabetes-related microvascular and macrovascular complications remain a major burden among migrant populations in Europe. Earlier studies found higher mortality rates among migrants, but recent studies seem to suggest a shifting trend in favour of first-generation migrants. However, the extent of the burden of type 2 diabetes varies across migrant groups and European countries. Despite the higher burden of type 2 diabetes among migrants, the key underlying factors are not well understood mainly due to limited investment in basic science research and development of prospective cohort studies. We hypothesise that the underlying risk factors for the high burden of type 2 diabetes and its related complications in migrants are multifaceted and include pre-migration factors, post-migration factors and genetic predispositions. Given the multi-ethnic nature of the current European population, there is a clear need for investment in research among migrant populations to gain insight into factors driving the high burden of type 2 diabetes and related complications to facilitate prevention and treatment efforts in Europe. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
AB - European populations are ethnically and culturally diverse due to international migration. Evidence indicates large ethnic inequalities in the prevalence of type 2 diabetes. This review discusses the burden of type 2 diabetes and its related complications, and the potential explanatory mechanisms among migrants in Europe. The current available data suggest that the rate of type 2 diabetes is higher in all migrant groups and that they develop this disease at an earlier age than the host European populations. The level of diabetes awareness among migrant populations is high, but glycaemic control remains suboptimal compared with Europeans. The culturally adapted lifestyle modification intervention trials to prevent type 2 diabetes mainly focus on South Asian adults in Europe. Diabetes-related microvascular and macrovascular complications remain a major burden among migrant populations in Europe. Earlier studies found higher mortality rates among migrants, but recent studies seem to suggest a shifting trend in favour of first-generation migrants. However, the extent of the burden of type 2 diabetes varies across migrant groups and European countries. Despite the higher burden of type 2 diabetes among migrants, the key underlying factors are not well understood mainly due to limited investment in basic science research and development of prospective cohort studies. We hypothesise that the underlying risk factors for the high burden of type 2 diabetes and its related complications in migrants are multifaceted and include pre-migration factors, post-migration factors and genetic predispositions. Given the multi-ethnic nature of the current European population, there is a clear need for investment in research among migrant populations to gain insight into factors driving the high burden of type 2 diabetes and related complications to facilitate prevention and treatment efforts in Europe. Graphical abstract: [Figure not available: see fulltext.]
KW - Ethnic minority groups
KW - Europe
KW - Migrants
KW - Review
KW - Type 2 diabetes
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85117079425&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1007/s00125-021-05586-1
DO - 10.1007/s00125-021-05586-1
M3 - Review article
C2 - 34657183
VL - 64
SP - 2665
EP - 2675
JO - Diabetologia
JF - Diabetologia
SN - 0012-186X
IS - 12
ER -
ID: 20115715