OBESITY AND DYSLIPIDEMIA IN WOMEN LIVING IN THE CROATIAN RURAL AREA DAMAGED BY AN EARTHQUAKE. “THE SILENT KILLER HUNT”- CROATIAN SOCIETY OF HYPERTENSION PROJECT

Abstract

Objective: Obesity is a worldwide health issue that negatively impacts many aspects of normal life. There are many tests and parameters that can give insight into someone's health status, one of them being the lipid panel. Our aim was to assess the association between anthropometric parameters and lipid status (HDL, LDL, total cholesterol and triglycerides) of women in the Croatian rural area damaged by an earthquake. Design and method: We collected blood samples of 165 female subjects (opportunistic screening), In addition, we measured by using a metabolic scale with a body composition monitor: three different fitness indicators: body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and mid-upper arm circumference (MIAC). Results: Average values of BMI, WC, and MIAC were 29.8 ± 6.04 kg/m2, 98.1 ± 15.90 cm, 31.6 ± 4.30 cm, respectively, and average values of LDL-cholesterol, HDL-.cholesterol, triglycerides, and total cholesterol were 3.34 ± 0.93 mmol/l, 1.44 ± 0.33 mmol/l, 1.57 ± 0.90 mmol/l, 5.48 ± 1.08 mmol/l, respectively. HDL-cholesterol shows a significant negative correlation with the BMI (r = -0.168, p = 0.031) WC (r = -0.168, p = 0.032) MIAC (r = -0.200, p = 0.010) and a significant positive correlation of triglycerides with BMI (r = 0.162, p = 0.038) WC (r = 0.244, p = 0.002); MIAC (r = 0.174, p = 0.026). Conclusions: Based on the given results we can conclude that the prevalence of dyslipidemia in women living in rural areas is very high. Observed association with HDL-cholesterol and triglycerides with anthropometric measures points to a need to consider those two lipid parameters equally serious as total and LDL cholesterol. Simple and reliable measurements, like waist circumference and BMI, could be used in the assessment of someone's health status since they provide us with valuable insights into their lipid profile.