A Survey Predicting the Influence of Age, Gender and Anthropometric Measures on Blood Pressure in Bengalee Subjects in West Bengal, India

Abstract

The World Health Organization (WHO) rates hypertension as one of the most important causes of premature death worldwide. It is estimated that by 2020, cardiovascular diseases will be the largest cause of mortality and morbidity in India. Recent studies identified waist circumference (WC), body mass index (BMI), waist hip ratio (WHR), and waist height ratio (WHtR) as the risk factors associated with hypertension. This study intended to verify the influence of age, sex, and anthropometric measures on blood pressure in Bengalee adults. A cross-sectional survey was conducted on 405 adult Bengalee patients of out-patients of Mahesh Bhattacharyya Homoeopathic Medical College and Hospital, Howrah in May, 2013. Male participants had significantly higher (p < 0.05) weight, height, WC, BMI, systolic, and diastolic blood pressures (SBP, DBP) than female participants. Binary logistic regression was performed to test associations and differences. p < 0.05 two-tailed were taken as statistically significant. Age (B = 0.036–0.087, SE = 0.016–0.027, P = 0.000–0.016), WC (B = 0.024–0.043, SE = 0.013–0.015, P = 0.001–0.051), and WHtR (B = 0.027–0.035, SE = 0.012–0.014, P = 0.004–0.014) had statistically significant influence on SBP. DBP was significantly influenced by age (B = 0.057–0.101, SE = 0.027–0.031, P = 0.000–0.024), weight (B = 0.055–0.097, SE = 0.022–0.046, P = 0.000–0.026), BMI (B = 0.063–0.069, SE = 0.019–0.028, P = 0.000–0.009), WC (B = 0.082, SE = 0.028, P = 0.001), and WHtR (B = 0.046–0.089, SE = 0.022–0.029, P = 0.000–0.031). Among the factors influencing BP, obesity control should be an important priority in both sexes in Bengalee subjects. Further multi-centric longitudinal study on larger population is worth investigating to strengthen the study findings.

Keywords: Anthropometry, blood pressure, age, gender, Bengalee