Arab migrants make up a significant minority of the Muslim population of the UK. As the result of recent conflicts in the Middle East there has been an increase in the number of Arab refugee's seeking asylum in the UK, and therefore this population is expected to increase in the future. Whilst UK Arabs share the increased diabetes and cardiovascular risk that is seen in South Asian migrants, they are distinct in terms of customs and traditions. Culturally appropriate, validated, evidence-based management strategies in order to aggressively control the cardiovascular risk factors in this high risk diabetic population are required.
Her Majesty's Stationery Office.Census 2001. London: HMSO , 2001.
2.
el Mugamer IT , Ali Zayat AS, Hossain MM, Pugh RNDiabetes, obesity and hypertension in urban and rural people of bedouin origin in the United Arab Emirates. J Trop Med Hyg1995;98:407-15.
3.
Musaiger AO, al-Roomi KAPrevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases among men and women in an Arab Gulf community. Nutr Health1997 ;11:149-57.
4.
Diabetes Atlas3rd Edition, Brussels, International Diabetes Federation (www.atlas.idf.org). Accessed March 2007.
5.
Ehtisham S., Barrett TG, Shaw NJType 2 diabetes mellitus in UK children- an emerging problem. Diabet Med2000;17:867-71.
6.
Hatahet W., Khosla P., Fungwe TVPrevalence of risk factors to coronary heart disease in an Arab-American population in southeast Michigan. Int J Food Sci Nutr2002;53:325-35.
7.
Jaber LA, Brown MB, Hammad A. et al. Epidemiology of diabetes among Arab Americans. Diabetes Care2003;26:308-13.
8.
Yudkin JSNon-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) in Asians in the UK . Diabet Med1996;13(suppl 6):S16-S18.
9.
Cappuccio FP , Cook DG, Atkinson RW, Strazzullo P.Prevalence, detection, and management of cardiovascular risk factors in different ethnic groups in south London. Heart1997;78:555-63.
10.
Pugh RN, Hossain MM, Malik M., El Mugamer IT, White MAArabian Peninsula men tend to insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk seen in South Asians. Trop Med Int Health1998;3:89-94.
11.
Suresh C., Zubaid M., Thalib L., Rashed W., David T.Racial Variation in Risk Factors and Occurrence of Acute Myocardial Infarction: Comparison Between Arab and South Asian Men in Kuwait. Indian Heart Journal2002;54:266-70.
12.
McGill MJ, Donnelly R., Molyneaux L., Yue DKEthnic differences in the prevalence of hypertension and proteinuria in NIDDM. Diabetes Res Clin Pract1996;33:173-9.
13.
Jaber LA, Slaughter RL, Grunberger G.Diabetes and related metabolic risk factors among Arab Americans. Ann Pharmacother1995; 29:573-6.
14.
Firdosi RM, Suleiman AJM, Lambourne A., al-Aufy S.Assessment of some cardiovascular risk factors during the pre-Haj medical examinations in Oman. Eastern Mediterranean Health Journal1995;1:223-9.
15.
Agarwal MM, Hughes PF, Haliga AA, Newman P., Sheekh-Hussen MM, Shalabi AGRelevance of cholesterol screening in the United Arab Emirates. A preliminary study. Eur J Epidemiol1995;11:581-5.
16.
Rice VH, Kulwicki A.Cigarette use among Arab Americans in the Detroit metropolitan area . Public Health Rep1992;107:589-94.
17.
Gatrad R., Gatrad A., Sheikh A.Hookah smoking. BMJ2007;335:20.
18.
Lakhdar A., Gill G.Diabetes in the Arab World. 2005:302. 19. Rimm EB, Klatsky A., Grobbee D., Stampfer MJReview of moderate alcohol consumption and reduced risk of coronary heart disease: is the effect due to beer, wine, or spirits. BMJ1996;31:2731-6.
19.
Jaber LA, Brown MB, Hammad A., Zhu Q., Herman WHLack of acculEast Afr Med J1998;75:211-14. turation is a risk factor for diabetes in arab immigrants in the US.
20.
Diabetes Care2003;26:2010-14. 21. Baomer AA, el bushra HEProfile of diabetic Omani pilgrims to Mecca. East Afr Med J1998;75:211-14
21.
JBS 2: Joint British Societies' guidelines on prevention of cardiovascular disease in clinical practice. Heart2005;91 Suppl 5:v1-v52.
22.
Al-Faouri I. , Rice VH, Weglicki L. et al. Culturally sensitive smoking cessation intervention program redesign for Arab-American youth. Ethn Dis2005;15(suppl 1):S1-62-4.
23.
Al-Arouj M. , Bouguerra R., Buse J. et al. Recommendations for management of diabetes during Ramadan. Diabetes Care2005;28:2305-11.
24.
Shaikh S., James D., Morrissey J., Patel V.Diabetes Care and Ramadan: to fast or not to fast?Br J Diabetes Vasc Dis2001;1 (1):65-7.
25.
Jaiveer P., Saraswathy J., Lee JD, Morrissey J., Patel V.The Alphabet Strategy - a tool to achieve clinical trial standards in routine practice?Br J Diabetes Vasc Dis2003;3:410-13.
