Alabama NewsCenter — UAB research: Black adults at higher risk for diabetes due to genetic variations, social health factors

By Anna Jones

In a recent study published in “Circulation: Genomic and Precision Medicine,” UAB researchers found that while many Blacks, especially those with a higher African ancestry proportion, have a favorable lipid profile, they are at a higher risk of developing diabetes than people of white/European ancestry. A favorable lipid profile indicates there are fewer components of body fat that can lead to cardiovascular and metabolic disease. Researchers believe this may be driven by genetic factors associated with geographic ancestry.

“The research indicates there are specific genetic variations that are more common among those with higher African ancestry that predispose these individuals to diabetes,” said Dr. Vibhu Parcha, a clinical research fellow in the UAB Division of Cardiovascular Disease and the first author of this study. “We hope to use what we have learned from this study to identify these specific genetic variations among those with higher African ancestry.”

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