Diabetes’ Dire Toll

Diabetes is the seventh-leading cause of death in the U.S. Some studies show that minorities, including blacks, Latinos and Native Americans, are at greater risk of developing diabetic kidney disease--the No. 1 cause of chronic kidney failure in adults--than the general population.

* Diabetes occurs nearly twice as often in Latinos as in non-Latino whites. More than 1 million Latino Americans have diabetes.

* Latinos represent more than 9% of patients on the national waiting list for kidney transplants.

* In the U.S., 10% to 20% of all people with diabetes develop kidney disease.

* The Pimas of Arizona have the highest prevalence of diabetes of any population in the world. Studies show that about 56% of end-stage renal disease in Native Americans is the result of diabetic kidney disease.

* Black Americans make up a disproportionate number of diabetes cases: The prevalence of diabetes in black Americans is about 70% higher than in white Americans.

* One in four black American women older than 55 has diabetes, about double the rate of white American women.

Source: National Kidney Foundation of Southern California