Diabetes in Indigenous Populations of the Americas: A Systematic Scoping Review

Diabetes represents a significant and growing global health challenge. In 2021, an estimated 537 million people worldwide lived with diabetes, a number expected to increase by 46% over the next 25 years. In the Americas, approximately 84 million people were diagnosed with diabetes in 2021, with projections of 97 million by 2030 and 112 million by 2045. Diabetes presents primarily as type 1 and type 2 diabetes, with the latter accounting for most of the global increase. Type 2 diabetes is associated with modifiable risk factors (e.g., obesity, physical inactivity, poor nutrition) and non-modifiable risk factors (e.g., age, genetic predisposition). Indigenous populations in the Americas experience disproportionate diabetes prevalence. The Pima Indians of Arizona have some of the highest recorded diabetes rates globally, largely due to a complex interplay between genetic susceptibility and environmental factors. Despite scattered data, there is a lack of comprehensive synthesis on diabetes prevalence in Indigenous communities across the Americas. Understanding the scope, distribution, and risk factors is essential for addressing health inequities, guiding interventions, and shaping future research. We will report on articles published between 1975 and 2025. Because blood glucose thresholds similar to the first 1985 WHO diagnostic criteria, which were similar to the 1979 American Diabetes Data Group (ADDG) standards were consistently used beginning in the 1970s, identified studies published before 1975 will be excluded from the final list.