Cardiovascular disease risk factors and health behaviors of ultra-Orthodox Jewish women in Israel: a comparison study

Objectives: Women from low socio-economic, culturally insular populations are at increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). The ultra-Orthodox Jewish (UOJ) community in Israel is a rapidly growing low socio-economic, insular, cultural-ethnic minority with numerous obstacles to health. The current cross-sectional study investigates CVD-related health behaviors and risk factors in a sample of UOJ females, comparing sample characteristics with the general population. Design: Self-administered questionnaires completed by a cluster randomized sample of 239 UOJ women included demographics, CVD-related health behaviors (consumption of fruit, vegetables, and sweetened beverages; hours of sleep; secondhand smoke exposure; and physical activity engagement) and risk factors (BMI, reported diagnoses of diabetes, high blood pressure, and heart disease). Results: Compared with the general population, UOJ women were less likely to consume 5 fruits and vegetables a day (12.7% vs. 24.3%, p <.001); more likely to consume ≥ 5 cups of sweetened beverages a week (18.6% vs. 12.6%, p =.019), and more likely to sleep <7 hours a night (62.0% vs. 50.6%, p =.002). UOJ women also reported less secondhand smoke exposure (7.2% vs. 51.4%, p <.001) and higher rates of physical activity recommendation adherence (60.1% vs. 25.6%, p <.0001) than the general population. Obesity was higher in UOJ women (24.3% vs. 16.1%, p <.0001). Increased parity and reduced moderate physical activity were associated with increased BMI. Increased parity was also associated with reduced sleep. Grand multiparous women (a 68% prevalence rate), in particular, were more likely to be overweight or obese than women with less than 5 children. Conclusions: This study suggests that health promotion interventions in this population target healthy weight maintenance, nutrition, and physical activity.