Hypertension and obesity in a population group from the Northeast of Brazil

Abstract

The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of arterial hypertension and obesity, as well as their interrelationship, in 317 employees of a university in the city of Fortaleza, in state of Ceará. These employees were interviewed and anthropometric and arterial pressure data were collected. The parameters used to obtain and classify arterial pressure were the ones from the III Arterial Hypertension Brazilian Consensus (1998) and from the Joint National Committee (1997). The body mass index was used to determine the nutritional classification, according to criteria from the World Health Organization (1995). It was found a prevalence of arterial hypertension of 25.6% and of overweight of 59.9%, both more prevalent in males (p<0.05). The obesity was a risk factor for arterial hypertension in the evaluated group (OR 7.53; IC95 3.08-18.92; p=0.00). These results showed that the studied community needs health activities directed towards controlling chronic degenerative diseases.

obesity; hypertension; prevalence