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Development of Obesity and Related Diseases in African Refugees After Resettlement to United States

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Abstract

Despite increases in obesity and related diseases in developing nations, initial refugee clinical visits do not address these issues. We explored the development of obesity and related diseases in a longitudinal prospective cohort of African refugees resettling in northeastern US. Using state Department of Health data, refugees were linked to a health system. Body mass index, diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia status were extracted from charts. US regional controls from NAMCS/NHAMCS data were matched by age, sex, race, and visit year. African refugee BMI increased after resettlement at 1 (1.7 ± 2.9, p < 0.0001) and 5 years (3.1 ± 3.7, p < 0.0001), a different trend than matched regional controls (p = 0.01). Refugees had increased rates of diabetes (1.0 vs. 10.8 %, p < 0.0001), hypertension (16.7 vs. 21.6 %, p < 0.0001) and hyperlipidemia (3.9 vs. 10.8 %, p < 0.0001) at 5 years not observed in regional controls. Our findings emphasize the need for interventions during resettlement to prevent development of obesity and related disease in this vulnerable population.

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Acknowledgments

C.M.R. receives current funding support from an Institutional National Research Service Award T32HP1025, the Tyoichi Sasakawa Fellowship Fund, and by the Division of General Medicine at Massachusetts General Hospital.

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Correspondence to Corinne M. Rhodes.

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Rhodes, C.M., Chang, Y. & Percac-Lima, S. Development of Obesity and Related Diseases in African Refugees After Resettlement to United States. J Immigrant Minority Health 18, 1386–1391 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10903-015-0278-x

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