News

Study finds increased risk of diabetes in immigrant women

April 19, 2010

In Ontario, new immigrants may have a greater risk of developing diabetes compared to long-term residents, a new study has found. This risk may be particularly high in women and people of South Asian and African origin.

According to background information included in the study, diabetes is generally more common in men than women. However, the results of the study showed that prevalence of diabetes in immigrant women in Ontario was similar to or higher than that of immigrant men.

By linking health records and immigration records, Canadian researchers were able to compare the prevalence of diabetes in recent immigrants (people who came to Canada between 1985 and 2000) and long-term Ontario residents. All of the study subjects were over age 20 and were eligible for health coverage in Ontario in 2005. There were 1,122,771 recent immigrants and 7,503,085 long-term residents included in the study.

Recent immigrants had significantly higher rates of diabetes than long-term residents in all age groups, except men over age 75. The most striking difference was between immigrant women and women who were long-term residents. Prevalence was higher in the immigrant women in all age groups, and was greatest in the 65 to 74 age group, in which 26 per cent of immigrant women had diabetes, compared to 19 per cent of long-term residents.

People from South Asia, Latin America and the Caribbean, and sub-Saharan Africa had significantly higher risks of diabetes than people from Western Europe or North America.

Income, education and length of time in Canada also had an impact on diabetes risk. The researchers found that being in the lowest income group increased diabetes risk by 31 per cent in men and 38 per cent in women, compared to people in the highest income group. Among women, those with a high school education or less had a 32 per cent higher risk of diabetes than those with a university degree. However, men with no education had the lowest diabetes risk.

Living in Canada for 15 years or more increased diabetes risk by 52 per cent in immigrant men and 40 per cent in immigrant women, compared to those who had been in Canada for five to nine years.

The researchers noted that increased diabetes risk began at an early age: by age 35 in some immigrant groups. Any prevention programs should therefore be aimed at all age groups.

The study was published online in CMAJ on April 19, 2010.

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