Migrant health in Italy: a better health status difficult to maintain-country of origin and assimilation effects studied from the Italian risk factor surveillance data.

Health programs should consider the diversity of the growing migrant population: data and analyses are needed to support appropriate policies. Many migrants' subgroups arrive with healthier behaviors than those of their adopted country. However, they are likely to have a less favorable social position in their destination countries that could lead to a change towards less healthy behaviors. Interventions capable of identifying this tendency could produce significant better health for this important part of the future (multicultural) populations.