Effect of urbanisation on blood pressure in Ethiopian immigrants

Blood pressure, heart rate, height and weight were measured in a group of Ethiopian immigrants who arrived in Israel in 1991 after waiting some 6 months in Addis Ababa. The findings were compared with a previous group of Ethiopians who immigrated immediately after physical hardships and malnutrition. The recent arrivals had higher BP levels and higher Quetelet indices than the earlier group. BP values of > 140 mmHg systolic or 90 mmHg diastolic were found in 15 of 102 newcomers (14.7%) in 1991, in contrast to < 1% in the earlier group. Our findings demonstrate an important effect of urbanisation in the same environment on rise in BP, probably through changes in lifestyle.