Cross sectional study on obesity prevalence in cardiovascular risk factors

Abstract

INTRODUCTIONThe cardiovascular disease (CVD) burden of India is expected to double in the next two decades, making it the single largest cause of death and the second largest cause of disability by the year 2020.1 Obesity is one of the modifiable risk factor in cardiovascular diseases. 2Prospective epidemiological studies have shown a relationship between overweight or obesity and cardiovascular morbidity, CVD mortality.3 Obesity is strongly related to major cardiovascular risk factors, such as raised blood pressure, glucose intolerance, type 2 diabetes, and dyslipidaemia. Meta-analyses of RCTs have shown that a weight-reducing diet, combined with exercise, produces significant weight loss, reduces total cholesterol and LDL-cholesterol, increases HDLcholesterol, and improves control of blood pressure and ABSTRACT Background: Obesity has become a chronic disorder affecting the larger population than any other disease in the world in both developed and developing countries, which lead to both increase in mortality and morbidity. Aim of the study was to study the Central obesity prevalence as cardiovascular risk factor in rural population. Methods: A total of 734 subjects aged 30 years and above of both sexes were selected for the study. Results: Very high prevalence of central obesity was found in males 27.6% compared to that in females 6.1% and the difference is also statistically significant. Subjects with Stress had higher prevalence of central obesity compared to those with no stress 15.4% and the difference is also found to be statistically significant. Subjects with current smoking had higher prevalence of central obesity 25.8% than non-smokers 15.2%. Similarly, subjects with current alcohol intake had higher prevalence (28.8%) than those who were not taking alcohol currently (14.1%). The differences in both the situations are statistically significant. Higher prevalence was found in those with physical exercise (32.8%) than those who do not perform regular physical exercise (13.5%) and the difference is also found to be statistically significant. It is found that the prevalence of medium and high risk was found to be significantly higher in males (41.8%) than in females (5.5%). Conclusions: Obesity is major health hazard leading to both increases in mortality and also major risk factor in other non-communicable diseases. Prevention of obesity should begin from early childhood itself. Early detection can prevent the incidence of major complications. Lack of awareness is found to be major factor which should be stressed upon.