Phenotypic and Genetic Diversity in Diabetes Across Populations

Diabetes mellitus is a heterogeneous condition with substantial clinical variability across global populations. The standard classification of type 1 and type 2 diabetes is primarily based on phenotypic characteristics in European-ancestry populations. However, diabetes exhibits diverse phenotypes in other populations, including a varied relationship between diabetes risk and body mass index. These differences may be partly attributable to genetic variation among populations. Understanding and leveraging this genetic variation can aid in the development of precision medicine approaches to diabetes diagnosis and treatment, ultimately helping to reduce health care disparities in diabetes among minoritized populations.