Chikowore discusses various reasons for the prevalence of type 2 diabetes in men of healthy weight, suggesting genetic factors or pancreatic development issues. Ongoing research in Uganda and the UK focuses on pancreatic size and function in these men. Standard diabetes tests, like HbA1c, may give misleading results in British African populations due to genetic variations related to G6PD deficiency. This can result in delayed diagnosis and preventable complications, underscoring the need for improved screening tools and further research into diabetes in diverse populations.
"These cases don't appear to be related to fat, so we want to try and understand what's going on. Is it genetics? Or due to how the pancreas has developed?"
"The gold-standard methods of diagnosing and assessing the progression of type 2 diabetes are fasting plasma glucose tests and the HbA1c blood test, which are showing to be ineffective in some populations."
"A significant number of people of African ancestry are diagnosed with type 2 diabetes much later than they might be, because they carry deficiencies in an enzyme called G6PD."
"Many of these patients end up experiencing preventable complications such as diabetic retinopathy, which can cause blindness."
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