Key result
Middle Eastern and North African descent is linked to ~216% higher diabetes odds versus Europeans.
Why the study?
Ethnic disparities in prediabetes and diabetes are well-documented globally but remain underexplored in Australian primary care settings.
Cross-Sectional (n=60,887)
Yes
There are marked ethnic disparities in the prevalence of prediabetes and diabetes in Australian primary care, highlighting the need for ethnicity-specific screening and prevention strategies.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
May inform ethnicity-specific screening considerations in Australian primary care; cross-sectional data leave causal and interventional questions open.
Introduction and Objective: Ethnic disparities in prediabetes and diabetes are well-documented globally but remain underexplored in Australian primary care settings. This study examined ethnic differences in the prevalence of prediabetes and diabetes and identified associated risk factors. Methods: Electronic health records of 60,887 adults (≥18 years) from the General Practitioner Research Network (2014-2024) database were analysed. Glycaemic status was classified according to ADA criteria using fasting plasma glucose, HbA1c, or 2-hour oral glucose tolerance test. Logistic regression models estimated crude and adjusted odds ratios (AORs) with 95% confidence intervals for prediabetes and diabetes, controlling for age, sex, and Body Mass Index (BMI). Results: Participants were predominantly Europeans (63.8%), with smaller proportions of Sub-Saharan Africans (1.6%) and Hispanics (0.7%). Prediabetes prevalence ranged from 12.2% (9.3-15.6) among Hispanics to 23.7% (22.1-25.3) among South & Central Asians, while diabetes was highest among Pacific Peoples (11.6%, 10.0-13.4) and lowest among Hispanics (5.8%, 3.8-8.4). Compared with Europeans, the adjusted odds of diabetes and prediabetes were highest among Middle Eastern and North Africans (MENA) (AOR 3.16, 1.94-5.05) and South-East Asians (AOR 1.62, 1.24-2.10), respectively. Older age, obesity, hypertension, elevated triglycerides, widowhood, risky alcohol consumption, and current smoking status were consistently associated with higher odds of both conditions in most ethnic groups. In contrast, female sex and high HDL-cholesterol were protective. Conclusion: Marked ethnic heterogeneity exists in prediabetes and diabetes among Australian adults. Cardiometabolic and lifestyle factors contribute significantly to these disparities. Ethnicity-specific and culturally informed strategies are needed to improve screening, prevention, and early intervention, particularly for South & Central Asians, South-East Asians, Pacific Peoples, MENA, and Indigenous Australians.
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Ezinne et al. (2026) conducted a cross-sectional in Prediabetes and diabetes (n=60,887). Non-European ethnicity (e.g., Middle Eastern and North African, South-East Asian) vs. European ethnicity was evaluated on Diabetes (AOR 3.16, 95% CI 1.94-5.05). Compared with Europeans, the adjusted odds of diabetes were highest among Middle Eastern and North Africans, and prediabetes odds were highest in South-East Asians.
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