New Canadian immigrants have better heart health

Canada, 10th August: New immigrants coming to Canada seem to show better heart health as compared to those who have stayed in Canada for a period extending 15 years or more.

This has been revealed by the findings of a latest study undertaken by ICES(Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences).

The study published in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology is based on the data of Canadian community health studies between the years 1996 and 2007.

Worse heart-ailments in long-term residents than new immigrants—The research shows that staying for a long duration in Ontario does increase the risk of heart problem among Canadians as compared to their new immigrant counterparts.

According to lead investigator of the study and a doctoral fellow at ICES, Maria Chiu, recent immigrants fare better in terms of heart health over the long-term Canadian residents. Moreover, the ratio of decline of cardiovascular health varies from one ethnic group to other, adds Chiu.

Immigrants of Chinese origin staying for long time in Canada seem to have a noticeable higher risk of developing heart ailments, the study reiterates.

For long, physicians have pointed out that the longer the stay of immigrants in western nations including Canada, the higher is the rate of deterioration of their health, adds Chiu.

Led by a team of co-authors, Chiu analyzed the rate of prevalence of various risk factors resulting in cardiovascular disease among immigrants staying in Canada for more than 15 years and compared it with the risk found in those living less than 15 years in Canada.

The findings assert that compared to new immigrants coming to Canada, those living in Canada for more than 15 years or even more showed a significantly higher risk of cardiovascular problem, high blood pressure, obesity and Type 2 diabetes.

Obesity increases risk for cardiovascular disease among long-term Canadian residents—Another factor brought forth by this new study is that obesity seems to be a major factor behind higher prevalence of cardiovascular disease among long term residents in Canada, especially those of Chinese origin. Chinese are getting over-weight placing them at higher risk of diabetes with longer stay in Canada.

 And this is due to indulgence in western diet which is not considered the healthiest. And bad eating habits are increasing health risks among ethnic group immigrants in Canada.

Need for responsive attitude—The study findings highlight the need for becoming responsive to the health-care requirements of immigrants belonging to different ethnic communities in Canada and to develop appropriate prevention steps for controlling higher rates of cardiovascular diseases.