Modern lifestyle risk factors for heart disease threaten extremely poor people in low- and middle-income countries

New research reveals that many people living in extreme poverty in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) have conditions that lead to heart disease, the world's number one cause of death. It overturns conventional wisdom.

In the largest analysis of its kind examining the relationship between poverty and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, experts found that high blood pressure, diabetes, smoking, obesity, and dyslipidemia are lower in LMICs, regardless of income. Although we found a high prevalence, most adults living in extreme poverty were not receiving treatment for these CVD-related symptoms.

An international group of researchers has announced that their research results will nature human behaviorcontradicting the common assumption that the environment (e.g., food insecurity) and lifestyle (e.g., increased manual labor) of people living in extreme poverty in LMICs protect against CVD risk factors.

Professor Justin Davis, from the University of Birmingham, said: “Our research challenges conventional wisdom about the relationship between poverty and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors. As LMICs develop economically, Overweight and obesity are prevalent among the poor.” Society will gain unhealthy weight, and diabetes, dyslipidemia, and hypertension will increase. ”

There is scant evidence regarding the prevalence of CVD risk factors in adults living below the World Bank's international extreme poverty line. To address this lack of needed information, the researchers pooled data from 105 representative household surveys in 78 countries.

Pascal Gerdsetzer, assistant professor of medicine at Stanford University in the US, said: “Our detailed analysis of how the prevalence and treatment coverage of CVD risk factors differs around the world shows that CVD risk among vulnerable populations is changing. Additionally, our research will inform future efforts to improve health outcomes for people living in the poorest parts of global society. It provides an important empirical foundation.”

This study demonstrates that CVD risk factors affect individuals across the socio-economic spectrum, including those living in extreme poverty in countries at all levels of economic development. .

Professor Till Bernyhausen from the University of Heidelberg said: “People living in extreme poverty experience higher prevalence of CVD risk factors and lower levels of treatment for these diseases, making it difficult for healthcare in this field to “This suggests that policies need to be reevaluated.” The assumption that the prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors is low among people in extreme poverty sets priorities in health policy and care delivery, both in terms of equity and effectiveness. is important above. ”

Countries included in the researchers' dataset include an estimated 85% of individuals living in extreme poverty worldwide, 53% of the world's population, and 64% of the world's population living in LMICs.

Sebastian Vollmer, professor of development economics at the University of Göttingen, said: “Further research into the mechanisms of CVD risk, which particularly affects individuals living in extreme poverty, is essential and will expose different groups to CVD risk. “Identification of the different pathways that may increase the risk of CVD is essential to reducing CVD risk.” That risk. ”