Coronary artery disease risk factors in Yaqui Indians and Mexican Americans

The prevalence of coronary artery disease risk factors in adults was studied in Yaqui Indians and Mexican Americans. The risk factors studied included hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, smoking, and sedentary life-style. Subjects included 94 Mexican Americans, 44 Yaqui Indians, and 12 of mixed or other ancestry. Mexican Americans had higher rates of smoking (21.3% versus 11.4%) and hypercholesterolemia (9.4% versus 4.8%) than did Yaqui Indians although neither comparison was statistically significant. Yaqui Indians had twice the risk of diabetes (40.5% versus 19.8%, P less than .05). When looking at both races combined, men smoked at six times the rate of women (36.4% versus 6.3%, P less than .05). Of all those tested, only 6% had no risk factors, and 88% were classified as having a sedentary life-style. Achieving increased levels of exercise in the population studied would appear to hold the most promise for reducing coronary artery disease risks.