Cardiometabolic risk profile and diet quality among internal migrants in Brazil: a population-based study

Studies of migrants can improve understanding of the environmental influence on the risk of chronic diseases. In continental countries, internal migration has been associated with changes in diet and health status. The objective of this study is to assess differences in diet quality and the cardiometabolic risk profile between migrants and the host population. A cross-sectional, population-based study was conducted in the city of Sao Paulo. The study population included internal migrants, defined as individuals born outside Sao Paulo city who had lived in the city for ten years or longer. The final population (n = 537) was divided into three groups: natives of Sao Paulo (45.5%), migrants from the Southeast (26.9%) and migrants from the Northeast (27.5%). The joint interim statement consensus criteria were used for diagnosing MetSyn. Diet quality was estimated using the revised version of the Brazilian Healthy Eating Index (BHEI-R). Comparisons between the data of BHEI-R, cardiometabolic risk factors and MetSyn in migrants and natives were performed using generalized linear models adjusted for confounding factors, respectively. Southeastern and Northeastern migrants younger than 60 years had a higher average of for whole fruit and oil components, respectively. Northeastern migrants older than 60 years had higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure, atherogenic ratio concentrations, lower HDL-C and were more likely to present metabolic syndrome compared to those born in Sao Paulo of the same age group. Native and internal migrants from Brazil resident in Sao Paulo exhibited differences in diet quality and cardiometabolic risk factors.