OBJECTIVE: At present, health characteristics of Roma minority within the Czech Republic are generally unknown. Therefore we examined a Roma population for some anthropometrical, biochemical and genetic parameters. DESIGN: Groups include Roma aged above 18 years (men, women), with permanent residence in the South Bohemia Region. The Roma group (302 individuals) was selected using the snowball sampling method--the same method was used to select the non-Roma control group (78 individuals) for total cholesterol and blood sugar reference values. The main non-Roma control group was selected using the quota selection method (298 individuals). All participants completed a life style questionnaire, had their body measurements taken, were weighed, had their blood pressure and heart rates measured, had a capillary blood sample taken. RESULTS: The non-Roma population had a lower Body Mass Index (BMI) (25.86 ± 4.23 vs. 27.45 ± 6.48 kg/m², p = 0.0004). The difference in BMI and weight was found to be associated with the MC4R gene. The values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, blood sugar did not differ with regard to the tested polymorphisms. We did not find any difference in the prevalence of MC4R or TMEM18 between groups. CONCLUSION: Despite educational efforts to introduce healthier life styles into the Roma population, there has been only limited success; as a result, Roma are very likely to suffer from premature complications of atherosclerotic processes, mostly due to theirs life style. Intensive further research is needed to improve the health conditions of the Roma minority, while still respecting their cultural differences.

Czech Technical University Faculty of Biomedical Engineering Kladno Czech Republic

Institute for Clinical and Experimental Medicine Preventive Cardiology Department Prague Czech Republic

University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice Faculty of Health and Social Studies Department of Nursing and Midwifery České Budějovice Czech Republic

Increased prevalence of the CVD-associated ANRIL allele in the Roma/Gypsy population in comparison with the majority Czech population

Different prevalence of T2DM risk alleles in Roma population in comparison with the majority Czech population

Body Adiposity Changes After Lifestyle Interventions in Children/Adolescents and the NYD-SP18 and TMEM18 Variants

Qualification of Food Intake by the Roma Population in the Region of South Bohemia

Frequency of adult type-associated lactase persistence LCT-13910C/T genotypes in the Czech/Slav and Czech Roma/Gypsy populations