Urbanization, migration, and indigenous health in Peru

We compare demographic, socioeconomic, and anthropometric characteristics and blood pressure (BP), between rural and urban Peruvian indigenous women. These are preliminary results from a project on urbanization, migration, and health.

Data were collected cross-sectionally (2019) and compared between a rural (n = 92) and an urban (n = 93) community.

Height: μ = 148.3 ± 5.0 cm (range = 137-162), weight: μ = 62.0 ± 11.5 (range = 37.5-108.7), median waist circumference = 89.0 (IQR = 15.8, range = 64.0-126.0), BMI = 28.3 (IQR = 6.2, range = 16.7-40.0), with no significant rural-urban differences. Systolic but not diastolic BP was significantly higher in urban versus rural women (median = 110, IQR = 18, range = 80-170 vs. median = 120, IQR = 10, range = 90-170, p = .002 and median = 70, IQR = 17, range = 50-100 vs. median = 70, IQR = 10, range = 60-100, p = .354), respectively.

Despite major lifestyle differences, there were no anthropometric differences between rural and urban women. Higher systolic BP in urban women may reflect social/economic stressors rather than dietary factors.