Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome

Diabetes and Metabolic Syndrome

header-title-decorationDiabetes and Metabolic Syndrome

Diabetes

Adult onset (Type) 2 diabetes is major chronic, life threatening disease affecting the community. In Los Angeles County, the prevalence of diagnosed diabetes increased with age from 0.3% among adults aged 20–39 to 14.9% among those aged 40–59 and 19.4% among adults aged 60 and over. For Latinos and African Americans, the rate of type 2 disease is nearly double that of the general population. Adults with disabilities reported having diabetes more than twice as often as those without disabilities. Rancho conducts research on the impact of diabetes in individuals with disability, focusing on therapeutic outcomes and prevention strategies.

Metabolic Syndrome

It is known that risks for heart and blood vessel disease (atherosclerosis) and abnormal sugar metabolism (diabetes) are elevated for people with disabilities. Female sex, age of ≥65 years, smoking, greater alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, higher body mass index, and a family history of diabetes were associated with increased risks of metabolic syndrome. Rancho is conducting research to address the impact of metabolic syndrome, particularly in patients with mobility impairments due to neurological injuries, including spinal cord injury.
To learn more about research studies on diabetes and metabolic syndrome at Rancho, click here.