[/caption]Carol Forsloff - Most mainlanders might not know this but Hawaiians are the disadvantaged group in their own lands with poor health levels compared to other ethnicities. Diabetes and stroke impact them most according to the American Academy of Neurology.
The Academy will be meeting in Honolulu April 9 to April 16. The news they bring for Hawaiians sent out in a press release today, however, from a study done through Queens Medical Center in Honolulu reveals the problems of health faced by Hawaiians.“Racial differences in stroke risk factors have been well-studied in Hispanic and African-American populations, but this is the first study to address people of Native Hawaiian ethnicity,” said study author Kazuma Nakagawa, MD, A cross-section of people of different ethnicies on the islands was used in this study for a total of 573 people described as other.
On average, Native Hawaiians who experienced a hemorrhagic stroke were around the age of 55, more than 10 years younger than those from other racial groups which had a combined average age of 67 when a stroke occurred. More Native Hawaiians also had diabetes; 35 percent compared to other racial groups at 21 percent. There were no differences in gender or other cardiovascular risk factors between the groups.
“Knowing risk factors for certain populations is an important step toward recognizing, treating and preventing stroke. More research needs to be done to determine which factors are contributing to stroke at such a young age in Native Hawaiians,” said Nakagawa.
The diet of Hawaiians is one that lends itself to obesity, a risk factor for diabetes and stroke. In Hawaii there are movements, such as on the Leeward Coast at the Waianae Coast Comprehensive Center, to upgrade the health of Hawaiians by special diet plans. This Shintani diet has worked for many people, but the fact remains the healthy eating style has not yet been fully adopted by this native Island group. The sad thing is the health so compromised removes that flavor or Polynesian beauty as more and more of these beautiful people die early.
