Sex Differences and Predictors of Changes in Body Weight and Noncommunicable Diseases in a Random, Newly-Arrived Group of Refugees Followed for Two Years

Abstract

We have reported that none of the psychological/mental variables examined predicted the increase in BMI and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in Iraqi refugees after 1 year resettlement in Michigan. We continuously followed the same cohort of refugees for 2 years (Y2 FU) to further determine the gender difference in predicting of increased BMI and NCDs. Only 20% of the BMI variability could be accounted for by the factors examined. Number of dependent children and depression were positively and stress negatively associated with BMI in male refugees but not in females. Number of dependent children was negatively associated with changes in BMI and in males only. Two-third of the NCD variability was accounted for by gender, BMI, employment status, depression, posttraumatic stress disorders and coping skills. Unmarried, unemployed and with high PTSD scores at Y2 in males were positively and number of dependent children was negatively associated with NCD changes in females. Factors such as dietary patterns and lifestyle may have contributed to the increased BMI and NCDs in these refugees at 2 years post-settlement.

Keywords: Body mass index; Financial; Iraqi refugees; Non-communicable disease; Post-displacement stressors; Sex differences.

Figure 1

Percent of refugees classified as underweight, healthy weight, overweight and obese over the 2-year study period. BL: Baseline, Y1: year 1 FU; Y2: year 2 FU. The upward shift in BMI categories was statistically significant at p<.0001.

Figure 2

Percentage of refugees suffering the NCDs at Baseline, year 1 and year 2. *: significantly different among the 3 measurement periods at p<0.05 **: significantly different among the 3 measurement periods at p<0.01 ***: significantly different among the 3 measurement periods at p<0.001