title: Ethnic disparities in the clustering of risk factors for cardiovascular disease among the Kazakh, Uygur, Mongolian and Han populations of Xinjiang: a cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Chinese Uygur, Kazakh, Mongolian and Han populations represent >90% of the total population of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, and their genetic backgrounds, customs, culture, and food consumption are different. The effect of ethnic differences on cardiovascular disease risk factors (CRFs; hypertension, obesity, diabetes, dyslipidemia, smoking) can be striking but is rarely studied. We report here the findings of the relationship among these ethnic groups and their CRFs across the four largest ethnic groups of Xinjiang.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional survey of representative samples was conducted 2002-2008 in Chinese Uygur, Kazakh, Mongolian and Han populations (age >30 years; 4,421 Kazakh, 3884 Han, 3,218 Uygur, and 892 Mongolian individuals) in Xinjiang.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 90.4% of Kazakh, 91.9% of Uygur, 90.4% of Mongolian, 85.1% of Han individuals had at least one CRF. Clustering of ≥2 or ≥3 of these risk factors was noted in 65.2% or 32.1% of Kazakh, 64.8% or 33.0% of Uygur, 66.9% or 36.5% of Mongolian as well as 62.0% or 28.3% of Han subjects, respectively. Compared with the Han population, the adjusted odds ratios of ≥1, ≥2, and ≥3 CRFs for Kazakh, Uygur and Mongolian populations were higher (all P<0.001). The age-standardized prevalence of the clustering of ≥1, ≥2, and ≥3 CRFs in Kazakh, Uygur, Mongolian, and Han populations was lower than their counterparts in the NHANES Ш study (USA) but higher than in the InterASIA Study (China).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ethnic groups living in Xinjiang had striking differences in CRFs. Ethnic-specific strategies should be developed to prevent cardiovascular disease in different ethnic groups.
authors: The Center for Hypertension of the People's Hospital of Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, The Center for Diagnosis, Treatment and Research of Hypertension in Xinjiang, Urumqi, China. lnanfang@yahoo.com.cn
authors: Nanfang
authors: N
authors: Li
authors: Hongmei
authors: H
authors: Wang
authors: Zhitao
authors: Z
authors: Yan
authors: Xiaoguang
authors: X
authors: Yao
authors: Jing
authors: J
authors: Hong
authors: Ling
authors: L
authors: Zhou
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000208:ethnology* / Q000209:etiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D002681:China / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007623:Kazakhstan / Q000208:ethnology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D008986:Mongolia / Q000208:ethnology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires