Cultural Differences and Diabetes Prevalence Rates - Research Paper Example

Some cultures are known to consume some types of foods that contain high levels of sugar. Other groups consume foods that have very little sugar that is not sufficient for the body. Factors that contribute to these differences are fasting and feasting requirements which expose people to specific types of foods. Exposure to these foods over a long period of time exposes them to different types of diabetes. Other cultures have gone a step further and modified their foods to meet different tastes and preferences. The modified foods may also contain high levels of sugar. A high level of sugar in food translates to diabetes when a person becomes overweight or develops high blood sugar. It is important to note that eating foods containing high levels of sugar does not necessarily mean that a person is exposed to diabetes. 

Some cultures also consume food that is high in calories which eventually leads to weight gain. Lack of exercise to burn out the excess calories contributes to diabetes. Diabetes-related problems also bring about visual complications. If untreated, visual complications cause blindness. This situation is also influenced by the different types of foods consumed (AHRQ 1). Some cultural diets are known to contain too much syrup, others contain too many carbohydrates, and many other types of foods contain sugar.