PS-C23-6: THE ASSOCIATION OF ANTHROPOMETRY AND DIETARY PATTERNS WITH THE SEVERITY OF HYPERTENSION AT DIAGNOSIS IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS IN SRI LANKA

Abstract

Objective: The association between hypertension with anthropometric measurements and dietary patterns has been studied globally, giving variable results. This study analyses the anthropometry and dietary patterns of hypertensive patients in Sri Lanka. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive study was designed to include hypertensive patients admitted to Teaching Hospital Peradeniya, Sri Lanka, from June 2015 to June 2016. An interviewer-administered questionnaire was used to collect data, and the clinical parameters were measured. Analysis was performed using the SPSS 26.0 statistical package. Results: 371 patients were included in the study with a mean age of 64.6 ± 11.4 years, 68.2% females. The mean weight, height, body mass index (BMI), and the waist circumference (WC) of the population were 58.0 ± 12.2 kg, 152.5 ± 8.0 cm, 24.9 ± 4.8 kg/m2, and 90.1 ± 12.8 cm, respectively. The sample composition according to systolic blood pressure (SBP) at diagnosis was, normal (< 130 mmHg) 2.5%, high normal (130–139 mmHg) 14.2%, Grade 1 (140–159 mmHg) 51.9%, and Grade 2 (> 160 mmHg) 31.5%, and according to diastolic blood pressure (DBP) at diagnosis was, normal (< 85 mmHg) 6.8%, high normal (85–89 mmHg) 0.6%, Grade 1 (90–99 mmHg) 43.8%, and Grade 2 (> 100 mmHg) 48.8%. The mean weight, height, BMI, and WC did not differ between these groups (p > 0.050). Simple linear regression analysis did not reveal any correlation between the systolic or diastolic blood pressure at diagnosis with the weight, height, BMI, or WC (p > 0.050). Considering the diet, out of 14 food components, the consumption of rice, vegetables, sweat, and dairy products was the highest (18.8, 18.0, 12.4, and 8.5 mean number of meals per week). Regarding the variation of food consumption between the SBP groups, only grains and pulses (p < 0.001), and dairy products (p = 0.034) showed a significant variation. For the SBP categories normal, high normal, Grade 1 and Grade 2, the mean consumption of grains and pulses and dairy products per week were (14.0, 4.7, 3.8, 3.5) and (14.0, 8.2, 7.1, 7.4) respectively. Regarding the DBP categories, consumption of fried food showed a significant variation (p = 0.044) in addition to grains and pulses (p = 0.009) and dairy products (0.007). For the DBP categories normal, high normal, Grade 1 and Grade 2, the mean consumption of fried foods, grains and pulses and dairy products per week are (2.7, 0.0, 1.2, 1.9), (7.8, 0.0, 4.3, 3.4) and (11.5, 7.0, 6.4, 8.0) respectively. Between the bloods pressure groups, there was no significant variation in the consumption of salty foods. Conclusion: There is no association between the anthropometric measurements and the severity of hypertensionat the diagnosis, however the dietary components grains and pulses and dairy products showed a negative correlation, and fried foods only showed an effect on DBP.