Browsing by Author "Ramaiya, Kaushik L."

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    Glucose tolerance and cardiovascular risk factors: a study of Indian and African communities in Dar es Salaam.
    (University of Dar es Salaam, 1989) Ramaiya, Kaushik L.
    Most of the chronic non-communicable diseases are as a result of a complex interaction between heredity and environmental factors. With better living conditions and adoption of western lifestyles in the developing countries, there is an increased incidence of diseases. This study documents the prevalence of diabetes mallitus, impaired glucose tolerance, hypertension and other cardiovascullar risk factors I the Asian Indian and Urban Africa population in Dar Es Salaam. It also examines the repeatability of oral glucose tolerance test, the differences in the prevalence rates within the Hindu sub-communities and progression of risk factors with time in two high prevalence sub-groups. The overall age and sex adjusted prevalence rates of diabetes, impaired glucose tolerance, hypertension, hypercholesterolemia and hypertriglyceridemia were 8.6%, 14.6%, 14.4%, 32.2% and 17.4% respectively in Hindu Indians; 8.8%, 22.5%, 13.0%, 40.9% and 30.9% respectively in Ithnasheri Indians; 1.5%, 10.2%, 18.1%, 23.2% and 20.1% respectively in urban Africans. 43.3%, 20.2% and 62.2% of Hindu, Ithnasheri and African males with normal glucose tolerance respectively had no cardiovascular disease risk factors glucose tolerance respectively had no cardiovascular disease risk factors while 21.7%, 41.4% and 7.9% respectively had two or more risk factors. 74.5%, 52.8% and 73.9% of Hindu, Ithnasheri and African females with normal glucose tolerance respectively had no CVD risk factors while 4.7%, 17% and 4.3% respectively had two or more CVD risk factors. Diabetics were more likely than non-diabetics to have high risk factor levels. Diabetes and impaired glucose tolerance were commoner in Asian Indians in Asian Indians in Tanzania than in other migrant Asian Indian communities apart from Fiji. The overall cardiovascular disease risk factors in Hindus and Ithnasheris were high. The vegetarian diet in Hindus offered some degree of protection compared to Ithnasheris whose non-vegetarian diet was responsible for high prevalence rates of hyperlipidaemia. The high prevalence of hypertension and hyperlipidaemia in urban Africans is due to their changing lifestyle and modern diet. Primary prevention measures are urgently required as these finding pose a significant public health problem.