Diabetes in America has risen about ninety percent in the last ten years. It is increasing among the Asian American population as well, most likely due to the drastic diet and health change that many people face when migrating to the United States, which in turn will change a person's health in a heartbeat. Most Asian diets are low in fat and low in sugar, but when coming into a country that is led by fast food chains, their diets are turned completely upside down, which takes a large toll on a human's health. With diets being raised in sugar and fat, especially in a body that is not used to it, there should be concern for the risk of diabetes.
Coming from one lifestyle into another is especially shocking to the human body and it's health. One cause of diabetes is malnutrition, or lack in certain nutrients such as fiber and protein which deteriorates one's health. Having a sedentary lifestyle, as opposed to exercising a few times a week, along with age, stress, and hypertension is another leading factor. There are many reasons that this disease affects so many people, especially in America. The Asian American community is at risk of diabetes due to the drastic change of living and health conditions. The difference between lifestyles is a main component in the risk of getting diabetes because from one lifestyle, being fairly calmer and less stressful than in the United States, coming into the United States, it does drain the body, and affect someone's health in a drastic way.
There are a few organizations and associations that research why diabetes is spreading among the Asian American population. There is little awareness to the spread of diabetes among this community, which is now about ten percent, but there is help and solutions to better their lives and create healthy lifestyles again for them. The Asian American Diabetes Initiative is on a mission to find out what the main cause of diabetes and reduction of health in Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, and a big part they have discovered is the environment, as stated earlier. Because of Asian American's smaller body weight, it is easy and important for them not to become "overweight" and to maintain their health because it increases their risk of diabetes. In fact, Asian Americans are more likely than Caucasian people to have diabetes due their body mass, and how a "normal" body weight in the eyes of America might be considered a tad overweight for their body type.
It is expected that diabetes will affect the health of over 160 million people in Asia alone in the next 25 years. There is still research being done to determine how diet affects the development of diabetes in the Asian American population, but from what is already known and available, there are ways to prevent it, or at least keep it under control and lead a happy, healthy lifestyle even if diagnosed with the disease.