Association between hypertension and overweight in adults in belem, State of Para (Brazil), 2005.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension is a major public health issue affecting 20 to 25% of the global population of adults, and 12 to 35 % of Brazilians.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the association between hypertension and overweight.

METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2005 with a probabilistic sampling of the population >18 years of age in Belém, capital of the state of Pará, in the Northern region of Brazil, using the telephone surveillance system for chronic diseases (SIMTEL). The dependent variable was hypertension, the explanatory variable was overweight and the confounding variables were age, level of education and lifestyle characteristics. The variables associated with hypertension were run through the regression logistic model and odds ratios were calculated for each variable.

RESULTS: Hypertension affected 16.2% of men and 18.3% of women, and overweight affected 49.2% of men and 34.1% of women. The prevalence of hypertension was directly associated with age and overweight in both genders. Among men, hypertension was associated with intake of vegetables and low intake of beans (similar to kidney- and pinto-type beans); as for women, hypertension was associated with marital status (widow or separated), and inversely to education level. The risk of hypertension increased directly with weight for both genders (p<0.001), and it was 6.33 times higher among obese men and 3.33 among obese women as compared to normal-weight subjects.

CONCLUSION: Overweight was associated with hypertension. However, variables such as age, education, and food consumption interfere in this relationship, creating circumstances favorable to reducing or increasing that risk.