Do Key Diabetes Risk Factors Vary by Region? New Study Highlights Differences Between Southern California and the United States
Original Article: https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/do-key-diabetes-risk-factors-differ-regionally-2025a1000v0k
What the Study Looked At
A recent study compared social and behavioral factors linked with diagnosed diabetes in Southern California to those observed across the entire United States. Researchers used data modeled at the level of census tracts, covering roughly 18.5 million adults in Southern California and about 253 million adults nationwide, and analyzed 24 social and behavioral variables to identify which factors correlated most strongly with diabetes prevalence.
What They Found in Southern California Compared with National Patterns
In Southern California, the five factors most strongly associated with diagnosed diabetes were physical inactivity, lack of routine medical checkups, binge drinking, lack of health insurance, and food insecurity. Together, these factors accounted for about two-thirds of the estimated diabetes burden in that region.
By contrast, at the national level, obesity, participation in food assistance programs, older age, and belonging to a racial or ethnic minority group emerged as the top correlates. Some overlap existed between regional and national patterns, but the factors driving diabetes risk differed substantially between Southern California and the broader United States.
What This Means for Diabetes Prevention and Public Health
These findings suggest that diabetes risk is shaped not only by biological and demographic factors but also by local social and behavioral conditions. In other words, strategies that work in one area may be less useful elsewhere if the underlying contributors to diabetes differ.
Study Limitations and What We Still Do Not Know
Because the analysis was cross-sectional, the links observed do not prove cause and effect. The estimates were based on modeled, self-reported diagnosis rather than direct medical confirmation, and the study did not distinguish between different types of diabetes or include undiagnosed cases.
Bottom Line
The risk factors for diagnosed diabetes are not the same everywhere. What stands out in Southern California, such as physical inactivity, lack of health care access, and food insecurity, may not be the main drivers nationally. For prevention to be most effective, public health efforts should consider regional differences and target the specific social and behavioral conditions relevant to each community.
