title: Contribution of sociodemographic and lifestyle-related factors to the differences in metabolic syndrome among Russian, Somali and Kurdish migrants compared with Finns.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is associated with a substantially increased risk for cardiovascular disease and diabetes. We examined the contribution of length of residence, socioeconomic position and lifestyle-related factors to the differences in the prevalence of MetS among migrants compared with Finns.
  
  
  METHODS
  Cross-sectional data from randomly sampled 30-64year-old health examination participants (318 Russian, 212 Somali, and 321 Kurdish origin migrants) of the Migrant Health and Wellbeing Survey (2010-2012) were used. Health 2011 Survey participants (n=786) were the reference group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared with Finns, prevalence of MetS was significantly higher among all migrants except for Somali men. Among men, age-adjusted prevalence ratio (PR) of MetS compared with Finns was 1.71, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.19-2.46 for Russians, PR 0.95 (95% CI 0.54-1.67) for Somali, and PR 2.10 (95% CI 1.51-2.93) for Kurds. Among women, respective PRs were 1.45 (95% CI 1.08-1.97) for Russians, PR 2.34 (95% CI 1.75-3.14) for Somali and PR 2.22 (95% CI 1.67-2.97) for Kurds. Adjustment for sociodemographic and lifestyle-related factors attenuated the differences in MetS among women but not men.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Further studies should aim at identifying factors related to elevated risk for MetS among Russian and Kurdish men. Interventions aiming at improving lifestyle-related factors are needed for reducing inequalities in the prevalence of MetS among migrant women. Effectiveness of interventions focusing on reducing overweight and obesity among Somali and Kurdish women should be evaluated.
authors.affiliation: Department of Welfare, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland. Electronic address: natalia.skogberg@thl.fi.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Skogberg
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland; Institute of Public Health and Clinical Nutrition, University of Eastern Finland, Kuopio, Finland; Hospital District of North Karelia, Joensuu, Finland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Laatikainen
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Turku, Finland.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Jula
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Härkänen
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vartiainen
authors.affiliation: Department of Health, National Institute for Health and Welfare, Helsinki, Finland.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Koponen
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005387:Finland / Q000453:epidemiology; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000208:ethnology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015995:Prevalence; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment / Q000379:methods*; D012307:Risk Factors; D012426:Russia / Q000208:ethnology; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D012998:Somalia / Q000208:ethnology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014171:Transients and Migrants; D014421:Turkey / Q000208:ethnology; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Cardiovascular risk; Lifestyle; Metabolic syndrome; Migrant