RESUMO
BACKGROUND: South Asians have disproportionately high rates of cardiovascular disease. Dyslipidemia, a contributing factor, may be influenced by lifestyle, which can vary by religious beliefs. Little is known about South Asian religions and associations with dyslipidemia. METHODS: Cross-sectional analyses of the MASALA study (n = 889). We examined the associations between religious affiliation and cholesterol levels using multivariate linear regression models. We determined whether smoking, alcohol use, physical activity, and dietary pattern mediated these associations. RESULTS: Mean LDL was 112 ± 32 mg/dL, median HDL was 48 mg/dL (IQR:40-57), and median triglycerides was 118 mg/dL (IQR:88-157). Muslims had higher LDL and triglycerides, and lower HDL, while participants with no religious affiliation had lower LDL and higher HDL. The difference in HDL between Muslims and those with no religious affiliation was partly explained by alcohol consumption. CONCLUSIONS: Religion-specific tailoring of interventions designed to promote healthy lifestyle to reduce cholesterol among South Asians may be useful.
Assuntos
Povo Asiático , Aterosclerose/etnologia , Colesterol/sangue , Dislipidemias/etnologia , Conhecimentos, Atitudes e Prática em Saúde/etnologia , Estilo de Vida Saudável , Religião , Comportamento de Redução do Risco , Consumo de Bebidas Alcoólicas/efeitos adversos , Consumo de Bebidas Alcoólicas/etnologia , Ásia/etnologia , Povo Asiático/psicologia , Aterosclerose/sangue , Aterosclerose/psicologia , Biomarcadores/sangue , Estudos Transversais , Dieta Saudável/etnologia , Dislipidemias/sangue , Dislipidemias/psicologia , Exercício Físico , Feminino , Humanos , Masculino , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Estudos Prospectivos , Fatores de Proteção , Medição de Risco , Fatores de Risco , Fumar/efeitos adversos , Fumar/etnologia , Estados Unidos/epidemiologiaRESUMO
Religiosity has been associated with greater body weight. Less is known about South Asian religions and associations with weight. Cross-sectional analysis of the MASALA study (n = 906). We examined associations between religious affiliation and overweight/obesity after controlling for age, sex, years lived in the USA, marital status, education, insurance status, health status, and smoking. We determined whether traditional cultural beliefs, physical activity, and dietary pattern mediated this association. The mean BMI was 26 kg/m2. Religious affiliation was associated with overweight/obesity for Hindus (OR 2.12; 95 % CI: 1.16, 3.89), Sikhs (OR 4.23; 95 % CI: 1.72, 10.38), and Muslims (OR 2.79; 95 % CI: 1.14, 6.80) compared with no religious affiliation. Traditional cultural beliefs (7 %), dietary pattern (1 %), and physical activity (1 %) mediated 9 % of the relationship. Interventions designed to promote healthy lifestyle changes to reduce the burden of overweight/obesity among South Asians need to be culturally and religiously tailored.