Introduction to the causes of cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes mellitus, South Asians, and the structure and approach of this book

Coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke, collectively cardiovascular disease (CVD), are caused by narrowing and blockage of the arteries supplying the heart and brain, respectively. In type 2 diabetes (DM2) insulin is insufficient to maintain normal blood glucose. Until the 1980s, CHD, stroke, and DM2 were seen as problems of the modern lifestyles of rich countries. South Asians should have been protected, e.g. by less smoking, more vegetarianism, and lower levels of obesity. However, the contrary was true and South Asians have high susceptibility to these diseases. The established causes cannot account for the susceptibility. For example, obesity tends to be lower in South Asians than in European origin people but DM2, though caused by obesity, is about three times commoner. About ten major groups of explanations have been published. The aim of this book is to produce a synthesis of the causal explanations to guide prevention, clinical care, and research.