The Health Disparities of South Asians

Words by Mubin I. Syed, MD

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The Health Disparities of South Asians by Mubin I. Syed, MD

There have been many attention-grabbing news stories of the recent premature deaths from massive heart attacks of South Asian celebrities including comedian Raju Srivastav and actor Sidharth Shukla, who are otherwise in the prime of their lives.

This is not a cautionary tale about living a fancy celebrity life, but about a South Asian health crisis. We are linked by geography and history, and growing evidence shows that we also share health predispositions and disparities. Understanding and acting on our cultural, family, and personal health issues will help improve the news for South Asian health.

In fact, many people don’t realize that South Asians have some alarming health disparities—that heart disease, diabetes, and other debilitating illnesses are higher for South Asians—around the world—than for other communities.

This is why United States congresswoman Pramila Jayapal sponsored and is shepherding a bill called the South Asian Heart Health Awareness Act, which has so far passed the House of Representatives. 

Did you know that South Asians have the highest rate of heart disease in the United States compared to any other ethnicity, with a rate that is four times higher than the general population?

Heart disease starts ten years earlier for South Asians, with 50% of heart attacks before the age of 50 (this corresponds to a rate of roughly 10% in Caucasians). The rate of death from heart attacks is twice as high as for the general population.  According to the MASALA study, a long-term study of the risk factors for disease in South Asian Americans, the rate of diabetes among South Asians is up to six times higher than for the general US population.  The onset of diabetes in South Asians also happens at an earlier age on average. 

Pay closer attention. Before diabetes occurs, there is a condition called prediabetes or metabolic syndrome.  This syndrome consists of high blood sugars (but not quite as high as in diabetes), high blood pressure, elevated blood lipids, and abdominal obesity (waist circumference >90cm in South Asian men, and >80cm in South Asian women).  South Asians are twice as likely to have this syndrome than the general population.  This is important to know about and treat early because it leads to diabetes, heart attacks, and strokes, and even a combination of health issues. The term cardiometabolic disease is often used to refer to interrelatedness between prediabetes, diabetes, heart disease, strokes, and high blood pressure.