Chiu also looked at the prevalence of eight risk factors for heart disease and stroke, including smoking, obesity, high blood pressure and diabetes. These also differed significantly from group to group. For instance, whites were three times more likely to smoke than Chinese and South Asians. And South Asians and blacks were twice as likely to suffer from diabetes as members of the other two groups.

"Our study did not look at the causes for these risk factors being high and low," Chiu explains. "It was important that we reported that they were high and low, and the next step would be to understanding why."

Implications for policy makers

Chiu says her research raises important questions. And the answers will likely draw from a combination of factors, including genetic predisposition, cultural factors and socioeconomic status.

Chiu also said her research has important planning implications for policy makers. "For example, if we know from the study that diabetes is twice as prevalent among the blacks and the South Asian populations, and we know that the South Asian and the black populations are going to double or triple within the next 20 years, then our projections for our health care needs in the future, which currently are predominantly based on the white population, will be grossly underestimating our needs."

Maria Chiu's research is published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal.