Weilun Cheng¹, Zhiying Zhang^{2, 3}, Weiyu Zhou², Yujing Wang², Jian Li³, Haiqiao Yu², Yuanxin Xu², Shuang Yan^{2, 3,}

In China, Nong Zhuan Fei (NZF) rural-to-urban migrants living in rural villages were reocated and moved into newly constructed urban apartments. NZF rural-to-urban migrants face drastic changes in their lifestyle and dietary habits after moving to cities, and this could affect their risk for non-communicable diseases (NCDs). We investigated the association between the prevalence of NCDs and dietary habits (especially micronutriens intake habits)in urbanized migrants in Harbin, China. This was a community-based cross-sectional study conducted in a NZF community of 3,184 residents in the Harbin of north China. NZF adult articipants completed a questionnaire addressing demographics, medical history, and life and dietary habits. The subjects completed 24-hr dietary recall for 3 days and a three-day physical activity recall. Anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, and fasting blood glucose were measured. Include statistical analyses a total of 1150 subjects completed the study (response rate of 64.9%). The prevalence of diabetes, hypertension, and stroke was 11.6%, 23.3%, and 13.3%, respectively. The rates of vitamin and mineral intake below the recommendations in female were higher than that in male (p<0.05). Inadequate vitamin B1 and B6 intakes contributed to diabetes (B1: OR=0.568, 95%CI: 0.344-0.938; B6: OR=0.333, 95%CI: 0.114-0.979), while high calcium intake contributed to diabetes (OR=1.001, 95%CI: 1.000-1.002). High vitamin B1 (OR=1.601, 95%CI: 1.198-2.140) and manganese (OR=1.159, 95%CI: 1.064-1.262) intakes contributed to hypertension, whereas high zinc was negatively associated with hypertension (OR=0.910, 95%CI: 0.860-0.963) and stroke (OR=0.935, 95%CI: 0.888 to 0.984). This NZF rural-to-urban migrants in Northeast China shows a high prevalence of NCDs (diabetes, hypertension, and stroke), and the intake of vitamins and minerals is below the recommendations. So the prevalence of NCDs was associated with the change from a rural to an urban lifestyle, especially the intake of vitamins and minerals. Action is needed to prevent a possible NCDs crisis in NZF migrants by public health professionals in the future.

micronutrients, lifestyle, non-communicable diseases, risk factors, rural-to-urban migrants