Sex and ethnic group differences in fat distribution in young united kingdom South Asians and Europids

South Asians (Asians) have a high prevalence of non-insulin-dependent diabetes (NIDDM) and a high incidence of ischaemic heart disease (IHD). To investigate whether this predisposition can be detected in young adult life, metabolic risk factors for these diseases were compared in U.K. Europid and Asian students. Among the 80 Europid and 80 Asian students aged between 20 and 23 years and well matched for body mass index (BMI), Asians were found to be relatively hyperglycaemic [5.1 (5.0-5.2) vs 4.6 (95% CI: 4.5-4.7) mmol/l] and hypercholesterolaemic [5.3(5.2-5.4) vs 4.9 (4.8-5.0) mmol/l] and to have a higher waist/hip and subscapular/triceps ratio. The waist/hip ratio was found to be a better predictor of glucose and cholesterol than calliper measurements in both ethnic groups although the subscapular/triceps ratio was independently related to both glucose and cholesterol. Predictors of both IHD and NIDDM are present at an early age in U.K. Asians.