http://repub.eur.nl/res/aut/28658/ List of Publications en http://repub.eur.nl/static-eur/img/logo.png http://repub.eur.nl http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/34190/ 2011-07-01T00:00:00Z Background: We determined whether the overall lower prevalence of type II diabetes in England versus the Netherlands is observed in South-Asian-Indian and African-Caribbean populations. Additionally, we assessed the contribution of health behavior, body size, and socioeconomic position to observed differences between countries. Methods: Secondary analyses of population-based standardized individual-level data of 3386 participants were conducted. Results: Indian and African-Caribbean populations had higher prevalence rates of diabetes than whites in both countries. In crosscountry comparisons (and similar to whites), Indians residing in England had a lower prevalence of diabetes than those residing in the Netherlands; the prevalence ratio (PR) was 0.35 (95% confidence interval = 0.22 to 0.55) in women and 0.74 (0.50 to 1.10) in men after adjustment for other covariates. Among people of African descent as well, diabetes prevalence was lower in England than in the Netherlands; for women, PR = 0.43 (0.20 to 0.89) and for men, 0.57 (0.21 to 1.49). Conclusions: The increasing prevalence of diabetes after migration may be modified by the context in which ethnic minority groups live. http://repub.eur.nl/res/pub/23331/ 2011-02-15T00:00:00Z Background:Ethnic minority groups in Western European countries tend to have higher levels of overweight than the majority populations for reasons that are poorly understood. Investigating relative differences between countries could enable an investigation of the importance of national context in determining these inequalities. Objective:To explore: (1) whether Indian and African origin populations in England and the Netherlands are similarly disadvantaged compared with the White populations in terms of the prevalence of overweight and central obesity; (2) whether the previously known Dutch advantage of relatively low overweight prevalence is also observed in Dutch ethnic minority groups and (3) the contribution of health behaviour and socio-economic position to the differences observed. Methods:Secondary analyses of population-based studies of 16 406 participants from England and the Netherlands. Prevalence ratios were estimated using regression models. Results:Except for African men, ethnic minority groups in both countries had higher rates of overweight and central obesity than their White counterparts. However, the Dutch minority groups were relatively more disadvantaged than English minority groups as compared with the majority populations. The Dutch advantage of the low prevalence of obesity was only seen in White men and women and African men. In contrast, English-Indian (prevalence ratio=0.87, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.81-0.93) and English-Caribbean (prevalence ratio=0.82, 95% CI: 0.76-0.89) women were less centrally obese than their Dutch equivalents. The Dutch-Indian men were very similar to the English-Indian men. The contribution of health behaviour and socio-economic position to the observed differences were small. Conclusion:Contrary to the patterns in White groups, the Dutch ethnic minority women were more obese than their English equivalents. More work is needed to identify factors that may contribute to these observed differences.International Journal of Obesity advance online publication, 15 February 2011; doi:10.1038/ijo.2010.281.