Health behavior practice among understudied Chinese and Filipino Americans with cardiometabolic diseases

Abstract

Lifestyle modification and health behavior practice among the individuals with cardiometabolic diseases (CMD) are important for secondary prevention and disease control. This study was designed to investigate and compare health behavior practices among Chinese and Filipino Americans with CMD. Three hundred seventy-four Asian Americans (211 Chinese and 163 Filipino) who reside in the greater Philadelphia region and had either CMD or no identified disease were included in the study. Information on smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity, and salt and sweets consumption was collected, as well as demographic and acculturative characteristics. Of the 374 participants, 241 (64.4%) had CMD and 133 (35.6%) had no identified disease. The majority of Chinese and Filipino Americans with CMD failed to meet the dietary and physical activity guidelines, and only a small percentage of them restricted their amount of salt added to food and amount of sweets consumption. Compared to participants with no disease, Chinese participants with CMD were more likely to “never” add salt to food (AOR 4.42 compared to “frequently”). Filipino Americans with CMD were less likely to be those who “never” consume sweets than those who frequently consume sweets (AOR = 0.12). Among the participants with CMD, Chinese participants with CMD were less likely to restrict drinking (AOR 0.11) than Filipinos with CMD. The findings suggest that tailored interventions for Chinese and Filipino Americans with CMD should be developed to enhance their compliance to behavioral guidelines to prevent further disease progression and complications.

Racial/ethnic, gender, and age group differences in cardiometabolic risks among adults in a Northern California health plan: a cross-sectional study

“…Filipino adults have been found to get lower amounts of physical activity than White adults [ 8 ] and to have a higher prevalence of smoking than Chinese adults [ 7 ]. A survey of Chinese and Filipino adults residing in the Philadelphia, PA, area found that low percentages were following recommended guidelines for fruit and vegetable consumption, use of salt, consumption of sweets, and physical activity [ 16 ].…”

Factors affecting reductions in dietary salt consumption in people of Chinese descent: An integrative review

“…Eleven included studies adopted a cross‐sectional design (Bi et al, 2014; Chen et al, 2013; Chen et al, 2014; Hu et al, 2013; Huang, Zhang, et al, 2011a; Lee et al, 2018; Modesti et al, 2019; Newson et al, 2013; Qin et al, 2014; Zhang et al, 2013; Zhang et al, 2016), two were experimental studies (Huang, Hu, et al, 2011b; Zou et al, 2014) and one was a qualitative phenomenological approach (Zou, 2019). The included studies were conducted in China ( n = 10), USA ( n = 1), Italy ( n = 1) and Canada ( n = 1), and one was a multi‐national study from which only the findings for the Chinese cohort were included in the review (Newson et al, 2013).…”

Health determinants and risk factors for coronary artery disease among older Filipinos in rural communities

“…Our findings corroborate that hyperlipidaemia is associated with higher risks of CAD, overweight or obesity, and hypertension. 7 Lifestyle changes such as a healthy diet, physical activity or exercise, and smoking cessation are needed to reduce CMD risk factors. Estimates indicate that 44% of the decrease in CAD death rates were due to changes in CAD-related lifestyle and behavioural factors, including improved smoking rates, physical inactivity, and regulation of systolic blood pressure and total cholesterol.…”

“…3,5,6 Specifically, a study among Chinese and Filipino Americans reported that the increasing number of premature deaths in lowand middle-income countries is attributable to the suboptimal implementation of prevention strategies by healthcare providers to reduce CAD risk factors such as hypertension, diabetes, elevated cholesterol, tobacco use, overweight/obesity-also referred to as cardiometabolic diseases (CMD). 7 Likewise, increased risk for CAD is also associated with poor access to effective and equitable healthcare services (including early detection services) in individuals from these countries. 3,8 Older adults are at greater risk for CAD and CMD.…”

“…Lifestyle modification and a healthy behavioural regimen are critical in preventing CAD and other necessary health conditions. 5,7,14 Observational data suggest a link between healthier lifestyle adherence and lower risk for CAD. 15 Likewise, a high-quality diet, regular exercise, and smoking cessation are associated with lower morbidity and mortality.…”