Objective: To determine prevalence and risk factors for diabetes mellitus (DM) and hyperlipidemias in a population of Otomi Indians.
Material and methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted between 1996 and 1997, in a convenience sample of 91 Otomi Indians, aged 15 to 77 years, in the communities of Yosphi and El Rincon, Queretaro, Mexico. Fasting blood samples were obtained to measure glucose, cholesterol and triglyceride levels.
Results: DM was found in 4.4% of subjects; hypercholesterolemia in 7.6%; and hypertriglyceridemia (HTG) in 26%. Mean concentrations of glucose -(81.0 +/- 24.4 mg/dl) and triglycerides (157.4 +/- 88.9 mg/dl) increased significantly with age, p = 0.0279 and p < 0.0001, respectively; as well as the prevalence of HTG (p < 0.0001).
Conclusions: Results suggest that drastic changes in the diet of Otomi Indians may cause severe problems related to high concentration of lipids in blood.