JP Stroke Foundation

Did you know that South Asians are more at risk for coronary artery disease (CAD) than Caucasians? Not only is there a greater prevalence of CAD within the South Asian community, but they also tend to get diagnosed with this life-changing disease earlier in life [1]. Researchers at the University of Toronto and the University of British Columbia suggest that one of the reasons for this huge discrepancy in CAD risk could be due to differences in the diameter of the coronary artery itself [1]. They propose that South Asians could have much smaller coronary artery diameters than Caucasians [1]. Additionally, South Asians could also have increased thrombotic factors, and more inflammation and plaque buildup than Caucasians [1]. The typical risk factors of CAD seen within the South Asian community include obesity, diabetes, family history, and decreased physical activity [1].

Out of these, obesity and diabetes are very concerning risk factors, both of which have some relation to diet. In particular, the presence of visceral adipose tissue accumulation (fat around the abdomen) has been shown to cause a range of metabolic abnormalities, such as inflammation [2]. There is also growing evidence that visceral fat leads to insulin resistance, eventually causing type 2 diabetes [2]. The traditional South Asian diet is high in carbohydrates, fats, and sodium. A significant risk of CAD can be decreased by controlling diet. This can be done by controlling portion sizes, as well as opting for foods higher in fibre, healthy fats, and veggies. A decrease in CAD cases within the South Asian community would lift a huge burden off of the Canadian healthcare system. It would make for a healthier population overall!

Author: Harleen Taneja

1. Hosseini, F., Malhi, N., Sellers, S. L., Khan, N. A., Li, C. K., Taylor, C., Gupta, M., Verma, S., & Ramanathan, K. (2022). The Morphology of Coronary Artery Disease in South Asians vs White Caucasians and Its Implications. Canadian Journal of Cardiology, 38(10), 1570–1579. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cjca.2022.05.005
2. Després, J. (2006). Is visceral obesity the cause of the metabolic syndrome? Annals of Medicine, 38(1), 52–63. https://doi.org/10.1080/07853890500383895