Rio Grande do Sul state's population has great ethnic and cultural diversity. However, knowledge on the genetic profile of this population concerning chronic non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and the pattern of inheritance related to ethnic origin is poor. Ethnicity and genetic background, associated with the Brazilian sanitary reform and Brazilian lifestyle, contributed a lot to the increase in average life expectancy at birth, and longevity of that population. Thus, the population of Rio Grande do Sul presents an accelerated aging process, with a distinct pattern of morbidity and mortality for the elderly (aged 60 years or more). The increased longevity of this population increased not only the incidence and prevalence, but also the mortality from NCDs such as cardiovascular diseases and cancer. Therefore, public health policies must address ethnic, cultural and biological characteristics to promote aging with quality of life. In this context this paper aims to contribute to the discussion about the aging process in Rio Grande do Sul state, Brazil.
Aging; Longevity; Ethnicity; Demography; Epidemiology; Immigration; Chronic Diseases
