Understanding the burden of overweight and diabetes in young migrant women living in Belgium

Obesity, cardiometabolic conditions, and their risk factors are highly prevalent in Europe, driven by environments that fail to fully support healthy choices, and healthy living. With a considerable number of migrants from non-European, non-Westernized, countries settling in Europe, we hypothesize that
the radical change in their environment predispose them to acquire new, or increase their exposure to, cardiometabolic risk factors. This is particularly troubling for women of reproductive age, an already susceptible group with a potentially increased vulnerability in a foreign setting. Only scattered reports
characterizing migrant’s health are available in Belgium, hindering the elaboration of evidence strategies to support this population. The NCDs Group at ITM aims to develop a well-informed, feasible protocol for assembling an observational cohort of migrant women from non-European, low-and
middle-income countries, with the aim to fully understand their lifestyle- and metabolic risk factors, and associated socio-economical, cultural, behavioural and environmental drivers of health after settling in Belgium. To assemble this cohort, an initial formative research study is necessary to operationalize a study protocol, engage with our target population, and their community members as
well as health care and social providers. The deliverable of this initial research will inform a proposal to a major sponsor that, when successful, will allow us to prospectively characterize the barriers and opportunities for better health for this population.