Abstract
This study examined the association between perception of risk for hypertension and overweight/obesity. Cross-sectional questionnaire-based survey. Out-patient department of the Central Regional Hospital in Cape Coast, Ghana. Adult men and women at least 18 years old. None. Perception of risk for hypertension, overweight/obesity. About 39% of the participants (N=400) were found to be overweight/obese, with disproportionally higher rates among women (50%) than men (28%). Results of the binary logistic regression models revealed a strong positive association (OR = 2.21, 95% CI =1.23, 3.96) between perception of risk for hypertension and overweight/obesity. Increasing age, high television exposure, female gender and being in a relationship were also noted to be associated with overweight/obesity. These findings highlight the need for the design of programmes to help individuals appreciate the reality of weight-related health risks, as well as the need to embrace lifestyles that promote healthy weight outcomes. Harvard Medical School Travelling Fellowship, Scholars in Medicine Office, Harvard Medical School.
Highlights
Obesity is no longer a problem only for Western or industrialised countries, but has reached global proportions.[1]
This study examined the association between perception of risk for hypertension and overweight/obesity
That a positive risk perception for hypertension serves as a motivation to engage in healthy weight-seeking behaviours to prevent overweight/obesity, we found higher probabilities of overweight/obesity among those who perceived themselves as likely to develop hypertension
Summary
Obesity is no longer a problem only for Western or industrialised countries, but has reached global proportions.[1]. In Ghana, the Demographic and Health Survey (DHS) reports that the proportion of overweight or obese women increased from 25% in 2003 to 40% in 2014.5 Obesity is a key risk factor for hypertension, which is an increasing public health challenge in both the developed and developing world.[6] Recent trends indicate that the prevalence of hypertension in developing countries is already as high as is seen in the developed countries.[6,7] The evidence in Ghana suggests an increasing prevalence of hypertension in both rural and urban populations, with high body mass index as a risk factor.[8, 9]. In Ghana, the prevalence of hypertension has increased sharply over the last two decades. In public health facilities alone, the number of reported new cases of hypertension is estimated to have increased 10fold from about 49,087 in 1988 to 505,180 in 2007.10 www.ghanamedj.org Volume 52 Number 3 September 2018
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
