The relationship between diabetes, obesity and iris markings in African Americans in Montgomery County, Alabama

Abstracts

Abstract

Diabetes mellitus is a common health problem in the United

States and African Americans are disproportionately

affected, especially among those who are overweight and

obese. Health professionals are aware that obesity and a

family history of diabetes increase one’s risk for acquiring

the disease. Therefore, the field of genetics offers insight

into future risks based on the polygenic nature of

inheritance and environmental components. Iridology

analysis could be used as a diagnostic tool to predict and

evaluate the possibility of developing type 2 diabetes for

those obese individuals based on their iris markings with

associated genetic inheritance. This study examined 43

African American residents in Montgomery, Alabama,

where the prevalence rates of diabetes and obesity are

among the highest in the nation. Comparisons of iris

markings were made between individuals in different

groups. The findings revealed that extremely obese group

had more iris markings in the pituitary and pancreatic

regions than the obese and normal weight groups. Further,

the diabetic obese group had more iris markings in the

pancreatic region than the non-diabetic obese and normal

groups. The findings not only highlight the importance of

iridology analysis in diabetes research but also may suggest

the possibility of adding iris markers as a genetic identifier

to public health strategies aimed at detecting and preventing

diabetes.

Peggy Valentine, EdD

Jiangmin Xu, PhD,

Tatiana Jones, MPT, Laila Haile, MPT,

Myrtle Goore, MD, Jane Smolnik, ND

and Marceline Egnin, PhD

Department of Healthcare Management AND

Department of Physical Therapy, School of Health

Sciences, Winston-Salem State University, Winston-

Salem, North Carolina, Private practice, Montgomery,

Alabama, Wellness Lifestyles Center, Asheville, North

Carolina, College of Agricultural, Environmental and

Natural Sciences, Center for Plant Biotechnology

Research, Tuskegee Univer

sity, Tuskegee, Alabama,

United States of America