Hypertension and obesity in police forces households in Khartoum, Sudan: a pilot report - part of the "police hypertension, diabetes, renal insufficiiency, and thyroid derengements [HyDRIT] study", Sudan

ABSTRACT

Premature mortality from cardiovascular diseases could be prevented by the effective control of hypertension [HTN]. Excess weight is associated with increased rate of death from all-causes. Nationwide data for the status of hypertension and excess weight in the Sudanese population are not available. All the consenting 426 inhabitants of two police housing-complexes were included. Blood pressure [BP], anthropometric measurements as well as blood samples were taken. Standard interviewing procedures were used to record medical history, socio-demographic and lifestyle characteristics. The data was analysed through univariate and multivariate regressions. The overall prevalence of hypertension [based on two BP measurements] was 27%. Less than a third [29.8%] of the hypertensive subjects were aware of their disease. Pharmacotherapy among those aware of their disease was prescribed in 94.1%. However, 59.4% of them were compliant with their prescribed medicines and 28.1% attained effective BP control. Prevalence of hypertension was significantly higher in older individuals [> 50 years of age], overweight [body mass index, [BMI] > 25] and those who had better education [> 10 years of schooling]. The cumulative prevalence of overweight [BMI 25-29.9 kg/m[2]] was 30% while that for obesity [BMI >/= 30 kg/m[2]] was 19.2%. Abdominal obesity was observed in 19.5% of males and 46.2% of females. Overweight subjects were more than twice likely to be hypertensive than their non-overweight counterparts [odds ratio 2.33 [1.49-3.64]]. In the sample examined, the prevalence of hypertension and excess weight seemed to be comparable to other countries; this makes them a public health priority