The Relationship Between Dietary Behaviors and Cardiovascular Risk Factors Among West African Immigrants in...

Despite the well-recognized relationship between dietary behavior and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, there is limited research on this association among African immigrants in the United States. This study aimed to address this gap by assessing relationships between dietary behaviors and CVD risk factors among West African immigrants living in Chicago, IL.

In 2023, a cross-sectional survey was conducted in Chicago, IL among 309 West African immigrants. Survey data were collected in-person and online, and the survey included several validated screeners including the Dietary Screener Questionnaire (DSQ). Logistic regression analyses were performed to assess associations between dietary behaviors (e.g., fruit and vegetable intake, whole grain consumption, etc.) and three CVD risk factors: obesity, type 2 diabetes, and hypertension.

Findings indicated that 28.8% of participants were obese, 15.5% self-reported having hypertension, and 5.2% self-reported having type 2 diabetes. The study revealed no significant associations between dietary behaviors and obesity status among participants. Participants with high vegetable intake had lower odds of diagnosed hypertension, although this association was not significant after adjusting for socio-demographic variables. High whole grain consumption was significantly associated with lower odds of diagnosed type 2 diabetes after adjusting for covariates (OR: 0.22: CI: 0.07-0.65, p = 0.01).

While some dietary behaviors showed associations with type 2 diabetes among West African immigrants in Chicago, IL, significant associations were not identified between dietary behaviors and diagnosed obesity or hypertension. Additional studies are recommended to better describe the impact of dietary behavior on CVD risk among West African immigrants.