Central obesity and risk for type 2 diabetes in Maori, Pacific, and European young men in New Zealand.

New Zealanders of Polynesian origin have a higher prevalence of obesity and type 2 diabetes mellitus than those of European origin. Risk factors for type 2 diabetes mellitus--decreased energy expenditure, increased body fat mass, and central body fat--in 30 normoglycemic Maori, Pacific, and European men were studied. Biochemical measures of risk for type 2 diabetes mellitus included an oral glucose tolerance test, insulin, lipids, and glycosylated hemoglobin.