247450 US Immigrants experiencing chronic health conditions: Prevalence of obesity, hypertension & diabetes among racial/ethnic populations

Monday, October 31, 2011: 3:06 PM

Leslie Cofie, MA, MPH , Department of Health Behavior & Health Education, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC
Background: Research on overweight and related chronic conditions affecting U.S. minority immigrants is often based on self-reported, instead of standardized medical examination, data obtained from national health surveys. Assessing recent data on objective measures of these conditions may provide a useful comparison to previously reported immigrant health conditions. Purpose: Prevalence of obesity and associated chronic conditions (hypertension and diabetes), among racial/ethnic populations in the US were examined. Association between length of residency and these healthy conditions were determined among minority immigrant populations. Methods: The 2007-2008 NHANES data analyzed included standardized measures of BMI, blood pressure and diabetes. Race/ethnicity and immigrant status classification, length of U.S. residency, and other demographic characteristics were examined. Results: African-Americans had the highest obesity rates (33.1%). Among Hispanic immigrants, there was nearly a twofold increase in obesity prevalence among those with ≤20 years length of U.S. residency (43%) than those with >10 years (24.8%). Also, African-Americans had the highest prevalence of both hypertension (14.5%) and diabetes (10.2%). Hispanic immigrants had slightly higher rates of hypertension and diabetes than Hispanic-Americans (9% vs. 7.3%). Obese individuals had higher rates of hypertension and diabetes (13.8% and 12.6%) than non-obese individuals (9.8% and 3.4%). Conclusion: This study improves upon self-reported prevalence of obesity, hypertension and diabetes, by using standardized measures. It demonstrates that U.S. immigrants are equally as affected by obesity and associated co-morbidities as native-born Americans. Further observations indicating that immigrants' length of residency in the US correlates to a higher prevalence of such health conditions is disconcerting.

Learning Areas:
Diversity and culture
Public health or related research
Social and behavioral sciences

Learning Objectives:
1) Describe obesity, diabetes and hypertension rates among racial/ethnic populations including U.S. immigrants. 2) Examine the association between length of residency in the U.S. and the prevalence of obesity and related chronic conditions among minority immigrant populations. 3) Assess differences in diabetes and hypertension rates among obese and non-obese individuals.

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Qualified on the content I am responsible for because: Due to my anthropological background, I have conducted extensive research on minority immigrant health. My current work with the Prevention Research Center for Healthy Neighborhoods has enabled me to focus on population based research, which has enhanced my expertise in secondary data analysis.
Any relevant financial relationships? No

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.