The Mobile Diabetes Screening Initiative screened over 800 Métis clients in Alberta settlements to assess undiagnosed diabetes and cardiovascular risk. They found that 5% of adult clients had undiagnosed diabetes, 51% had pre-diabetes, and high rates of overweight/obesity and family history of diabetes. No children screened had diabetes but 21% had pre-diabetes. High rates of metabolic syndrome were also found among both adults and children screened. These results suggest Métis people in Alberta have similar high rates of diabetes and related conditions as other First Nations groups in Canada.

1. Undiagnosed Diabetes, Pre-diabetes and
Cardiovascular Risk in Alberta Métis
Settlements: Results of the Mobile Diabetes Screening Initiative
(MDSi). ELLEN L. TOTH1
*, KELLI RALPH-CAMPBELL1
,
TRACY CONNOR1
, ALISON MEIKLE1
, MARY PICK1
,
MARGARET DANIELS2
, PAULINE THOMPSON3
, SHERI
POHAR4 1
Department of Medicine, University of Alberta,
Edmonton, AB, 2
Kikino Métis Settlement, AB, 3
Buffalo Lake
Métis Settlement, AB, 4
Canadian Agency for Drugs and
Technologies in Health, Edmonton, AB
There is convincing research documenting the burden of diabetes
within First Nations populations, but much less is known about
diabetes amongst the Métis. The Mobile Diabetes Screening
Initiative (MDSi) is addressing this gap in knowledge by screening
for undiagnosed diabetes and cardiovascular risk within Métis
community settings throughout northern Alberta.
Two mobile vans equipped with portable screening technology
travel to Alberta’s eight Métis Settlements. Anthropometrics and
clinical parameters (BP, FPG, A1c, cholesterol, triglycerides,
microalbumin) are collected on clients whose diabetes status is
unknown (“unknowns”).
Between November 2003 and December 2006, MDSI screened
812 “unknown” Métis clients (679 adults, 133 children). 5% of the
adults screened had undiagnosed diabetes (FPG: ≥7.0 mmol/L),
51% had pre-diabetes (FPG: 5.6-6.9 mmol/L), 83% were
overweight/obese (BMI ≥25), and 85% had a parent with diabetes.
No children screened had diabetes, but 21% had pre-diabetes.
Additionally, 27% of adults and 15% of children screened had
metabolic syndrome using NCEP/ATP III criteria; for both groups,
waist circumference was the most prevalent correlate.
Our data are the most detailed available to-date regarding type 2
diabetes amongst Métis people in Alberta. Our documented rates
for both adults and children are consistent with higher rates
reported for First Nations groups elsewhere in Canada, suggesting
common disease determinants.