Hispanics and Latinos

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most serious health challenges facing the estimated 27 millions Hispanics and Latinos in the United States. It is the 6th leading cause of death within this community and the 4th leading cause of death among Hispanic women and Hispanic elderly.

Hispanics and Latinos are at a higher risk of developing and dying from diabetes, and twice as likely as other populations to experience complications such as heart disease, high blood pressure, blindness, kidney disease, amputations and nerve damage.

Diabetes has an earlier onset in Latinos than in other populations. Among Puerto Ricans and Mexican Americans, the age of onset is 30 to 50 years old. On average, Hispanics and Latinos are almost twice as likely to have diabetes as non-Hispanic whites of similar age, while diabetes is two to three times more common in Mexican-American and Puerto Rican adults than in whites. Cuban Americans have a lower rate of diabetes than Mexican Americans and Puerto Ricans, but still higher than that of non-Hispanic whites. The rates of type 2 diabetes are 110% higher among Mexican Americans and 120% higher among Puerto Ricans than among non-Hispanic whites. More than 10% of all Mexican Americans 20 years or older have diabetes.