Prevalence of prehypertension among medical students and its correlation with anthropometric indices
Journal Title: International Journal of Medical Science and Public Health - Year 2018, Vol 7, Issue 12
Abstract
Background: Hypertension is one of the leading causes of death and disability worldwide. Prehypertension acts as a warning sign, in younger age group which indicates the risk of developing hypertension in later life. Obesity is another important public health problem that has assumed epidemic proportions in developing countries and acts as a major independent risk factor for the development of hypertension. Objectives: The objective of the study was to identify the prevalence of prehypertension and its relation with body mass index (BMI) and neck circumference (NC) among young medical students. Materials and Methods: This descriptive cross-sectional was conducted among 192 medical students. The participants were examined for various anthropometric parameters such as height, weight, and NC. BMI was calculated. Blood pressure (BP) was recorded using a standard mercury sphygmomanometer. The correlation between BMI, NC, and BP was assessed by calculating the Pearson’s correlation coefficient (r) and P > 0.05 was taken as statistically significant. Results: The overall prevalence of prehypertension among the participants was 21.35%. The prevalence was higher among the overweight medical students (45.48%). Mean BMI and mean NC were higher among prehypertensives compared to normotensives. A positive significant relation was found between BPs and both BMI and NC. Conclusion: Our study revealed a high prevalence of prehypertension among medical students which was significantly associated with BMI and NC.
Authors and Affiliations
Farhana Ahad, Nida Nowreen
Keywords
Related Articles
- EP ID EP489700
- DOI 10.5455/ijmsph.2018.0925920092018
- Views 111
- Downloads 0
Using a register-recall system in primary care for patients with poorly controlled diabetes; a cluster-randomized trial
Background: Structured and regular review of patients with diabetes has shown to be effective in improving the process of their care. However, a register-recall system that periodically identifies patients not meeting th...
Premenstrual syndrome knowledge and attitude among women attending family medicine clinics, King Khalid Military Hospital, Tabuk city
Background: Various studies in India have observed an incidence of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) to be 20% in general population, with 8% revealing severe symptoms. Objective: To study the sociodemographic characteristic...
Identification of predictive marker of prerenal damage in pregnant women with Preeclampsia and women at high risk- A Prospective study conducted in Riyadh,Saudi Arabia
Background: Preeclampsia is characterized by development of high blood pressure and proteinuria. It affects 5 – 8% of all pregnancies and is a major contributor to maternal and fetal morbidity a...
Maternal thyroid profile in pre-eclampsia
Background: During normal pregnancy, changes in thyroid function are well-documented, i.e., hypothyroidism is a common finding seen in pregnancy leading to various adverse maternal and fetal effects, but there is no...
The relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection and allergic rhinitis during childhood
Background: There are different publications on the relationship between the infections and development of allergic diseases. Aims & Objective: To examine the relationship between Helicobacter pylori infection...