Cardiovascular Risk in Xavante Indigenous Population

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Epidemiology
• Indigenous Health

Background:

• Cardiovascular risk factor prevalence is poorly understood in Brazilian indigenous populations.
• The Xavante people have experienced significant lifestyle and epidemiological shifts over the past two decades.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among adult Xavante individuals.
• Study conducted in the São Marcos and Sangradouro/Volta Grande reserves in Mato Grosso, Brazil.

Main Methods:

• Cross-sectional study involving 925 Xavante adults (≥20 years) from 2008-2012.
• Assessed triglycerides, cholesterol (total, LDL, HDL), Castelli indices, TG/HDL ratio, apo B/Apo A1 ratio, Framingham risk score, C-reactive protein, BMI, waist circumference, hypertriglyceridemic waist, glycemia, and blood pressure.
• Statistical analysis included Kolmogorov-Smirnov, Student's t-test, and Chi-square test (p<0.05).

Main Results:

• High prevalence of elevated cardiovascular risk observed across multiple indicators, including HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides, TG/HDL ratio, C-reactive protein, BMI, waist circumference, hypertriglyceridemic waist, and glycemia.
• Prevalence rates for elevated risk varied between sexes for most indicators.
• Individuals aged 40-59 years exhibited the highest cardiovascular risk.

Conclusions:

• The Xavante population demonstrates a high prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors based on various assessed indicators.
• Findings support the development of targeted preventive measures and early intervention strategies.
• Efforts are crucial to reduce the burden of cardiovascular diseases within this population.