Adults in extreme poverty in LMICs have conditions, can lead to heart disease: Study

Researchers examining the relationship between poverty and cardiovascular diseases discovered that CVD risk factors were highly prevalent in LMICs regardless of income. The findings contradicted a common assumption that environmental factors like food scarcity and lifestyles involving physical labour of those living in extreme poverty in LMICs protect against CVD risk factors, the team said. "Understanding how an assumption of low prevalence of CVD risk factors among those in extreme poverty holds true is important for setting priorities within health policy and care delivery, both for equity and effectiveness," said study author Till Baernighausen, from Heidelberg University, Germany. Despite being limited by possible measurement errors and potentially overestimating CVD risk in adults living in extreme poverty, the study could inform equity discussions for resource allocation and design of effective interventions, the researchers acknowledged. "Further research into mechanisms of CVD risk specifically affecting individuals living in extreme poverty is essential - uncovering the different pathways that may predispose various groups to CVD risk will be vital in reducing that risk," said study author Sebastian Vollmer, Professor of Development Economics, University of Göttingen, Germany.