New immigrants to the U.S. have a lower prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors than individuals born in the U.S., but these risk factors increase the longer they live in the U.S., a so-called "healthy immigrant effect," according to research presented during the ACC Middle East 2025 Together with 16th Emirates Cardiac Society Conference, held in Dubai, UAE.

Study investigators Prachi Dawer, MBBS, et al., analyzed data on cardiovascular disease risk factors, including BMI, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia and smoking, from nearly 16,000 adults from the 2011-2016 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.

Results showed that 80% of foreign-born participants and 85% of U.S.-born adults had at least one risk factor. Furthermore, foreign-born participants living in the U.S. for less than 15 years, had a lower adjusted prevalence of hypertension (38% vs. 49%), hypercholesterolemia (28% vs. 30%) and smoking (13% vs. 20%), respectively.

However, foreign-born adults who had lived in the U.S. for more than 15 years had an increased prevalence of diabetes and hypercholesterolemia compared to U.S.-born adults.

Notably, foreign-born, non-Hispanic Asian adults had a significantly higher prevalence of diabetes (15% vs. 6%) and a lower prevalence of smoking (8% vs. 135%) compared to U.S.-born, non-Hispanic Asians.

Investigators explored several possible drivers of increasing cardiovascular disease risk in immigrants as they stay longer in the U.S., including lifestyle acculturation, stress and socioeconomic factors, loss of protective cultural practices, and barriers to health care access and utilization.

"We see that as immigrants are exposed to U.S. dietary and lifestyle habits for prolonged periods of time, it has a negative effect on their heart health," said Krishna Moparthi, a medical student at the John. F. Kennedy University School of Medicine and co-author of the study. "Immigrants should proactively protect their health through screenings and maintaining protective behaviors, while clinicians must recognize duration of U.S. residence as a risk factor and provide culturally tailored prevention strategies."

Learn more about ACC Middle East 2025 Together with 16th Emirates Cardiac Society Conference, taking place Oct. 3-5 in Dubai, UAE. Plus, follow the ACC on social media and use the hashtag #ACCMidEast to join the conversations.

Clinical Topics: Cardiovascular Care Team, Dyslipidemia, Prevention, Homozygous Familial Hypercholesterolemia, Hypertension, Smoking

Keywords: Hypercholesterolemia, Cardiovascular Diseases, Risk Factors, Smoking, Diabetes Mellitus, Socioeconomic Factors, Hypertension, Life Style, Health Services Accessibility