Hypertensive patients and risk factors related to physical activity and nutrition

The aim of this study was to identify the cardiovascular risk factors related to physical activity and/or nutrition of hypertensive patients (n=99) seen at a public health care center of a large city in the southeastern part of Brazil. These factors included, diabetes mellitus (36.4% of patients, more frequent in women), dyslipidemia (38.4%, with no gender differences) and overweight/obesity (83.1% with Body Mass Index (BMI) higher than 24.9 Kg/m2, more frequent in women). The mean BMI was 29.2 Kg/m2 (± 5.5); significantly higher among women. All these factors are related to the dysmetabolic syndrome and the risk can be prevented or controlled with interventions involving physical activity and nutrition.