(07-05-06) The Greek migrant morbidity mortality paradox: low levels of hypertriglyceridaemia and insulin resistance despite central obesity.

Itsiopoulos C, Brazionis L, Rowley K, O'dea K.

Department of Medicine, St Vincent's Hospital, The University of Melbourne, VIC 3065.

Background - Greek migrants to Australia continue to have one of the lowest all-cause mortality rates of any birthplace group in Australia despite having an adverse coronary heart disease (CHD) risk factor profile, including higher rates of diabetes, and the high self-reported CHD morbidity. Objective - To examine a broad range of CHD risk factors and dietary and lifestyle factors that may help explain the relative protection of Greek migrants from premature CHD mortality. Design - Cross-sectional study of 432 Greek and Australian-born people with and without diabetes, recruited from the Melbourne Collaborative Cohort Study. Body composition was measured by standard anthropometric techniques and DEXA. Analysis of lipids and glycaemic variables was performed on fasting blood samples using standard laboratory techniques. Food intake was measured by food frequency questionnaire. Outcomes - Greek men and women were significantly more obese (P = 0.008 men and women) but had lower levels of hypertriglyceridaemia (P =0.036 men; P = 0.001 women), and lower IR (P =0.027 men; P <0.001women) compared with Australian-born men and women. Diabetes was associated with a greater adverse effect on fasting insulin, IR and plasma homocysteine in the Australian-born people compared with the Greeks. Conclusions - Dietary factors such as consumption of a Mediterranean-style diet with a high intake of plant derived antioxidants, olive oil and red wine could be protecting Greek migrants from premature CHD mortality even in the presence of diabetes.

Asia Pac J Clin Nutr. 2005 Nov;14(Supplement):S43

PMID: 16326494 [PubMed - as supplied by publisher]

News

---

In evidenza

"L'informazione presente nel sito serve a migliorare, e non a sostituire, il rapporto medico-paziente."

Per coloro che hanno problemi di salute si consiglia di consultare sempre il proprio medico curante.