Chronic health disparities among refugee and immigrant children in Canada

Abstract

There are knowledge gaps in our understanding of the development of chronic disease risks in children, especially with regard to the risk differentials experienced by immigrants and refugees. The Healthy Immigrant Children study employed a mixed-methods cross-sectional study design to characterize the health and nutritional status of 300 immigrant and refugee children aged 3-13 years who had been in Canada for less than 5 years. Quantitative data regarding socioeconomic status, food security, physical activity, diet, and bone and body composition and anthropometric measurements were collected. Qualitative data regarding their experiences with accessing health care and their family lifestyle habits were gathered through in-depth interviews with the parents of newcomer children. Many newcomers spoke about their struggles to attain their desired standard of living. Regarding health outcomes, significantly more refugees (23%) had stunted growth when compared with immigrants (5%). Older children, those with better-educated parents, and those who consumed a poorer-quality diet were at a higher risk of being overweight or obese. Sixty percent of refugees and 42% of immigrants had high blood cholesterol. Significant health concerns for refugee children include stunting and high blood cholesterol levels, and emerging trends indicate that older immigrant children from privileged backgrounds in low-income countries may be more at risk of overweight and obesity. A variety of pathways related to their families' conceptualization of life in Canada and the social structures that limit progress to meeting their goals likely influence the development of health inequity among refugee and immigrant children. Public health initiatives should address these health inequities among newcomer families.

Canadian newcomer children’s bone health and vitamin D status

“…This is an abbreviated methods section highlighting the most relevant methods used for this paper. The full research methods are outlined in a previous paper (Lane et al 2018).…”

Food Insecurity and Major Diet-Related Morbidities in Migrating Children: A Systematic Review

“…We also found strong evidence of a link between migration and stunting [22,51,[56][57][58]. Stunting may reflect the cumulative effect of chronic malnutrition and not only under-nutrition [56] and it is associated with increased morbidity and mortality from infection, in particular, pneumonia and diarrhea [81], and short and long-term functional impairment, including poor cognition and educational performance in childhood, low productivity and low wages in adulthood [82].…”

“…Similarly, the study by Lane et al [22] documented that the prevalence of stunted growth was 4.6% in 300 migrant children aged 3-13 years who had been in Canada for less than 5 years.…”

“…Moreover, overweight children are at a greater risk for remaining overweight in adulthood and for the development of chronic illnesses, such as diabetes and cardiovascular diseases [67], which increases premature mortality [68]. Indeed, high cholesterol levels, high triglycerides, and high blood pressure have been observed frequently in migrant children [22,51].…”

“…Lane et al [22] analyzed the health status of 300 immigrant and refugee children aged 3-13 years who had been in Canada for less than 5 years. The results indicated that older immigrant children (OR 1.18 (95% CI: 1.03-1.35); p = 0.017), mainly those from more privileged backgrounds, who coincidingly consumed a poorer-quality diet (OR 0.94 (95% CI: 0.90-0.99); p = 0.020), were at a higher risk of overweight and obesity (compared to refugees, who had a higher risk of stunting (23% vs 4.6%; p < 0.05)).…”