title: Self-reported cardiovascular risk factors in immigrants and Swiss nationals.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate whether the prevalence of self-reported cardiovascular risk factors differs between immigrants and Swiss nationals.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study is a secondary data analysis of the Swiss Health Survey 2002, a cross-sectional survey. In total, 19,249 individuals living in Switzerland were included.
  
  
  METHODS
  The prevalence of hypertension, high cholesterol level, smoking, diabetes, overweight, low fruit and vegetable intake, and physical inactivity were calculated for major immigrant groups and Swiss nationals. Demographic data were used to control for age and socioeconomic status.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Major immigrant groups were people from Italy, Germany, former Yugoslavia, Spain, Portugal, France, and Turkey. Compared with Swiss women, women from former Yugoslavia were more likely to have hypertension, and women from Germany were more likely to have high cholesterol levels. Women from Italy, former Yugoslavia, Spain, Portugal, and Turkey were more likely to show physical inactivity and (except Turkish women) to be overweight. Men from these countries (except Spanish men) were more likely to be overweight than Swiss men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences exist in the prevalence of modifiable cardiovascular risk factors between Swiss nationals and many of the immigrant groups. Age and socioeconomic status could only partly explain the differences.
authors: Institute of Nursing Science, University of Basel, Petersgraben 2,Basel, Switzerland. grossmannf@uhbs.ch
authors: Florian F
authors: FF
authors: Grossmann
authors: Marcia E
authors: ME
authors: Leventhal
authors: Bernhard
authors: B
authors: Auer-Böer
authors: Philippe
authors: P
authors: Wanner
authors: Alexander
authors: A
authors: Bischoff
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D057566:Self Report; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013557:Switzerland / Q000453:epidemiology; D055815:Young Adult