Journal of Community Health
Volume 32, Issue 5, 2007, Pages 299-310

Heart disease prevention among Chinese immigrants (Article)

Taylor V.M.* , Yasui Y. , Tu S.-P. , Neuhouser M.L. , Li L. , Woodall E. , Acorda E. , Cripe S.M. , Hislop T.G.
  • a Cancer Prevention Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, United States
  • b Department of Public Health Sciences, Clinical Sciences Building, University of Alberta, Edmonton, Alta. T6G 2G3, Canada
  • c Department of Medicine, University of Washington, 401 Broadway Avenue, Seattle, WA 98104, United States
  • d Cancer Prevention Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, United States
  • e Cancer Prevention Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, United States
  • f Cancer Prevention Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, United States
  • g Cancer Prevention Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, United States
  • h Cancer Prevention Program, Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center, 1100 Fairview Avenue North, Seattle, WA 98109, United States
  • i Cancer Control Research Program, British Columbia Cancer Agency, 675 West 10th Avenue, Vancouver, BC V5Z 1L3, Canada

Abstract

There is little information about the heart disease prevention behavior of Asian immigrants. Chinese are the largest Asian sub-group in the United States (US), and 69% of Chinese Americans are foreign-born. Our objective was to describe Chinese immigrants' heart disease prevention practices. A community-based, in-person survey of Chinese men and women was conducted in Seattle during 2005. Our study sample included 395 Chinese immigrants. Only 15% of the respondents consumed five or more servings of fruit/ vegetables per day, and less than one-third (31%) engaged in regular physical activity. Smoking rates were significantly higher among men (21%) than women (1%). About three-quarters (74%) of the study group had received a cholesterol test in the previous five years. Recent immigrants had higher levels of fruit/ vegetable consumption and physical activity than those who had been in the US for 10 years or more. Conversely, longer duration of US residence was positively associated with recent cholesterol testing. Heart disease prevention programs should be developed, implemented, and evaluated in Chinese immigrant populations. These efforts should specifically aim to increase fruit/ vegetable consumption and regular physical activity. Future efforts to increase cholesterol testing should focus on recent immigrants. © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, LLC.

Author Keywords

heart disease prevention immigrants Chinese americans

Index Keywords

physical activity China immigrant Lipids Chinese heart infarction prevention cholesterol blood level blood pressure community care fruit vegetable human Health Behavior middle aged controlled study Cigarette Smoking diet Humans smoking Asian Americans male female tobacco dependence Heart Diseases cholesterol Article major clinical study adult Motor Activity food intake health survey
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-34848927144&doi=10.1007%2fs10900-007-9057-5&partnerID=40&md5=8587fd62c585980c134c33f21b5ef2aa
DOI: 10.1007/s10900-007-9057-5
ISSN: 00945145
Cited by: 30
Original Language: English