Racial profiling 鈥� presuming someone will behave a certain way because of ethnic origin 鈥� is a pernicious practice in law enforcement, but a benevolent form of it could help improve or save lives when applied to health care.
Researchers say steadily rising rates of obesity, diabetes and high blood pressure over the past decade have dramatically increased the risk of heart attacks and strokes among some groups of ethnic Canadians.
Obesity is a concern for all segments of the Canadian population, but an Ontario study has determined that South Asian men and black women in sa国际传媒 are particularly susceptible. Obesity levels rose among all groups during the study period 鈥� 2001 to 2012 鈥� but the biggest increase was observed in Chinese men, whose rate more than doubled during the study period.
鈥淲e know that people who come to sa国际传媒 are generally healthier to begin with 鈥� this is [called] the healthy-immigrant effect 鈥� and then the longer they stay here, they pick up the bad habits of the Western culture,鈥� said Maria Chiu, a scientist at the Institute for Clinical Evaluative Sciences in Toronto. 鈥淔or example, they eat more fatty foods, they eat more meat, more processed foods, as well as eat between meals.鈥�
The analysis showed that black women and men and South Asian men had the greatest increases in risk factors for declining cardiovascular health over the period. Poor diet was a major factor in the increased risk for heart attack and stroke, she said.
The proportion of South Asian men who reported that they didn鈥檛 eat fruits or vegetables at least three times a day increased significantly over the past 12 years, according to the Statistics sa国际传媒 health surveys studied by Chiu and her associates.
鈥淪o this is suggesting that their diet might be becoming progressively worse,鈥� she said.
Black females had a higher risk of developing cardiovascular disease than black males, primarily because of poorer diet and higher levels of psychosocial stress.
This group of women had the most 鈥渄rastic鈥� increase in rates of high blood pressure among the ethnic communities studied, jumping from 20 per cent in 2001 to 27 per cent in 2012.
Similar studies in the U.K. have found that the loss of traditional diets among minority ethnic groups has resulted in poorer eating habits, particularly in younger generations.
It鈥檚 useful to learn that certain racial groups will suffer more acutely than others from eating poorly. Armed with this knowledge, health-care professionals can offer counsel that will result in better health; health authorities and other agencies can work with community groups to promote and encourage better eating habits.
But such targeted efforts should not lead other segments of the population to believe they are somehow immune to the consequences of indiscriminate eating. Obesity and its attendant ills can affect all of us. What鈥檚 good for one group, in this case, is good for everyone.
