Background: To investigate the prevalence of diabetes and metabolic syndrome in Jinuo Chinese adults, the last established ethnic minority population in Yunnan, China.

Methods: Between January and May 2012, we conducted a cross-sectional survey. A representative sample of 5,633 adults, aged ≥18 years, from the Jinuo minority of Yunnan province participated in this study. After an overnight fast, blood samples were drawn to measure fasting plasma glucose levels and 2 hours after an oral glucose-tolerance test in participants without history of diabetes. Physical examination and laboratory tests were also performed.

Results: The age-standardized prevalence of diabetes was 7.2% in the population (men: 10.2%; women: 4.4%). Among 297 patients with newly diagnosed diabetes, 38.4% had raised fasting plasma glucose levels (≥7.0 mmol/L) only, 39.7% had raised 2-hour plasma glucose levels (≥11.1 mmol/L) only, and both parameters were raised in 21.9%; The age-standardized prevalence of prediabetes was 19.0% (men: 21.2%; women: 17.0%). Among 1070 patients with prediabetes, 42.5%, 44.0%, and 13.5% had isolated impaired fasting glucose, isolated impaired glucose tolerance and combined impaired fasting glucose and impaired glucose tolerance, respectively. The age-standardized prevalences of central obesity, general obesity, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and metabolic syndrome were 8.9%, 20.4%, 20.9%, 20.4%, and 33.5%, respectively.

Conclusion: Jinuo male adults have a higher prevalence of diabetes and pre-diabetes and are prone to elevated fasting glucose levels.