Risk Factors for Cardiometabolic Disease among Pacific Islanders in California: Results from the California Health Interview Survey

Pacific Islanders are often analyzed as a subset of the Asian population. There is a lack of research on the Pacific Islander population in California. Although the Pacific Islander population in the United States is rather small, it is still important to study. The objective of this study determined the risk factors for these cardiometabolic disease conditions in Pacific Islanders. The prevalence of diabetes, high blood pressure, and overweight/obesity were examined in Pacific Islanders, and risk factors associated with these conditions were examined in Pacific Islanders. We found that Pacific Islanders had a weighted prevalence of diabetes that was intermediate in comparison to other race groups. Hypertension was lower than the overall sample prevalence and most race groups. Overweight and obesity prevalence was second highest in the Pacific Islander population. It was also found that the risk factors associated with each disease outcome differed between Pacific Islanders and Whites. Smoking status, high blood pressure, and high BMI were associated with odds of diabetes. Insurance status, diabetes, and high BMI were associated with odds of high blood pressure. Diabetes, high blood pressure, and sex were associated with odds of high BMI in Pacific Islanders.