Abstract
Hypertension and excess body weight are major risk factors of cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in developing countries. In countries with a high HIV prevalence, it is unknown how increased antiretroviral treatment and care (ART) coverage has affected the prevalence of overweight, obesity, and hypertension. We conducted a health survey in 2010 based on the WHO STEPwise approach in 14,198 adult resident participants of a demographic surveillance area in rural South Africa to investigate factors associated with hypertension and excess weight including HIV infection and ART status. Women had a significantly higher median body mass index (BMI) than men (26.4 vs. 21.2 kg/m2, p<0.001). The prevalence of obesity (BMI≥30 kg/m2) in women (31.3%, 95% confidence interval (CI) 30.2–32.4) was 6.5 times higher than in men (4.9%, 95% CI 4.1–5.7), whereas prevalence of hypertension (systolic or diastolic blood pressure≥140 or 90 mm Hg, respectively) was 1.4 times higher in women than in men (28.5% vs 20.8%, p<0.001). In multivariable regression analysis, both hypertension and obesity were significantly associated with sex, age, HIV and ART status. The BMI of women and men on ART was on average 3.8 (95% CI 3.2–3.8) and 1.7 (95% CI 0.9–2.5) kg/m2 lower than of HIV-negative women and men, respectively. The BMI of HIV-infected women and men not on ART was on average 1.2 (95% CI 0.8–1.6) and 0.4 (95% CI -0.1–0.9) kg/m2 lower than of HIV-negative women and men, respectively. Obesity was a bigger risk factor for hypertension in men (adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 2.99, 95% CI 2.00–4.48) than in women (aOR 1.64, 95% CI 1.39–1.92) and overweight (25≤BMI<30) was a significant risk factor for men only (aOR 1.53 95% CI 1.14–2.06). Our study suggests that, cardiovascular risk factors of hypertension and obesity differ substantially between women and men in rural South Africa.
Highlights
At the beginning of the 20th century, cardiovascular disease (CVD) was responsible for less than 10% of all deaths worldwide, but by 2008 that figure had risen to 30% [1]
Excess body weight and high blood pressure have been regarded as a ‘Western’ problem associated with affluence, but both are recognized as leading risk factors for cardiac diseases in low- and middle-income countries and have become important for public health globally [3,4]
In the Demographic Surveillance Area (DSA) covered by the surveillance system that is run by the Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies in rural KwaZulu-Natal, prevalence of obesity and hypertension among adults 15–50 year old was reported at 32% and 24% respectively in 2004, at the height of the HIV epidemic and before antiretroviral therapy (ART) was widely available in the public health service [5]
Summary
At the beginning of the 20th century, cardiovascular disease (CVD) was responsible for less than 10% of all deaths worldwide, but by 2008 that figure had risen to 30% [1]. About 80% of the global burden of CVD death occurs in low- and middle-income countries [2]. Excess body weight and high blood pressure have been regarded as a ‘Western’ problem associated with affluence, but both are recognized as leading risk factors for cardiac diseases in low- and middle-income countries and have become important for public health globally [3,4]. Reliable data on the main cardiovascular risk factors, obesity and hypertension, from low-and middle-income countries are scarce, especially from rural Africa [5]. In the Demographic Surveillance Area (DSA) covered by the surveillance system that is run by the Africa Centre for Health and Population Studies in rural KwaZulu-Natal, prevalence of obesity and hypertension among adults 15–50 year old was reported at 32% and 24% respectively in 2004, at the height of the HIV epidemic and before antiretroviral therapy (ART) was widely available in the public health service [5]. When using a cut-off point of 140/90 mm Hg, the hypertension prevalence was found to be 21% for both genders [8]
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