While 80% of Hispanic men and 71% of Hispanic women were found to have at least one risk factor for cardiovascular disease, such as hypertension, obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol or smoking, rates of some factors were considerably lower for some backgrounds than others.
For example, while rates of hypertension were as high as 77% for women and 72% among men between ages 65 and 74, Cubans were found to have the highest rate by country of origin at 32% while participants with a South American background had a rate of 20%.
Rates of obesity, although high among Hispanics in general, ranged from a low of 30% among South Americans to a high of 47% among Puerto Ricans.
Overall, men tended to fare better when it came to exhibiting healthier habits than women, according to the study.
The study, funded by the National Institutes of Health, examined the health of more than 16,000 Hispanic adults between ages 18 and 74 in Chicago, San Diego, New York and Miami from March 2008 through June 2011. Study participants came from a diverse array of backgrounds, including individuals from Mexican, Puerto Rican, Cuban, Dominican, Central American and South American descent.
The study provided an overall snapshot for risks factors of general importance for all Latinos. About one in three participants were found to have pre-diabetes. Among those who were diagnosed with diabetes, only half were found to have their condition under control.
The findings mark the end of the first phase of the multiyear analysis, with phase two scheduled to begin in October and continue through 2017.
Follow Steven Ross Johnson on Twitter: @MHSjohnson
