Pre-hypertension: another 'pseudodisease'?

Eating before bed and new-onset hypertension in a Japanese population: the Iki city epidemiological study of atherosclerosis and chronic kidney disease

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between eating before bed and the development of hypertension in a general Japanese population. We conducted a population-based retrospective cohort study using annual health check-up data collected from the residents of Iki City, Nagasaki Prefecture, Japan. In total, 2930 participants without hypertension at baseline (mean age 57.0 years, male 42.8%) were included in the present analysis. Eating before bed was defined as eating within 2 h of bedtime. The outcome of this study was incident hypertension (blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg or initiation of blood pressure-lowering medications). Multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were estimated using Cox proportional hazards models. During an average follow-up of 4.5 years, 909 participants developed hypertension. The incidence (per 1000 person-years) of hypertension in the group of individuals who ate before bed was 82.8, whereas that in the group of individuals who did not eat before bed was 65.8. The association was significant even after adjusting for other risk factors, including age, sex, current smoking status, current alcohol intake, regular exercise, obesity, elevated blood pressure, diabetes mellitus, and dyslipidemia, with a hazard ratio of 1.23 (95% CI: 1.05-1.44) for the group of individuals who ate before bed compared with the group of individuals who did not eat before bed (P = 0.01 for trend). Eating before bed was correlated with a future risk of developing hypertension in the general Japanese population.

Prevalence and Risk Factors of Elevated Blood Pressure and Elevated Blood Glucose among Residents of Kajiado County, Kenya: A Population-Based Cross-Sectional Survey

Kenya is experiencing a rising burden of non-communicable diseases (NCDs), yet data to inform effective interventions are limited. We investigated the prevalence of elevated blood pressure, elevated blood glucose and their determinants in a rapidly urbanizing area in Kenya. Data on socio-demographics, dietary and behavioural risk factors, anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, blood glucose, plasma lipids and urinary biomarkers were collected from 221 men and 372 women (25-64 years). Multivariable logistic regression models assessed correlates of elevated blood pressure (EBP) and elevated blood glucose (EBG). Participants' mean age was 38.0. ± 11.1 years. The prevalence rates of pre-hypertension and hypertension were 49.0% and 31.6% in men and 43.7% and 20.1% in women, respectively, while those of pre-diabetes and diabetes were 8.4% and 8.0% in men and 11.6% and 7.4% in women, respectively. The prevalence of Body Mass Index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m² was higher in women (60.2%) than in men (39.7%). However, both the risk of EBP and EBG were stronger among men than among women. The high prevalence rates of EBP, EBG and overweight/obesity coupled with low physical activity and low fruit and vegetable intake predispose this population to a higher NCD risk. Interventions to mitigate this risk considering the sex differences are urgently required.

Association of waist and hip circumferences with the presence of hypertension and pre-hypertension in young South African adults

BACKGROUND

Obesity is one of the most important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) including hypertension (HT) which is itself a risk factor for CVDs. Recent studies suggest that waist circumference (WC) may be more sensitive than Body Mass Index (BMI) in determining individual risk scores for CVDs.

OBJECTIVES

The current study aimed at investigating the influence of various anthropometric variables on blood pressure status in a group of students from Walter Sisulu University.

METHODS

Informed consent was obtained from 216 male and female students from Walter Sisulu University with a mean age of 22.1±0.2 years. Anthropometric measurements were performed for each participant. Blood pressure was measured in triplicates after 10 minutes of rest and the average computed.

RESULTS

Just over 46% of the subjects were diagnosed with hypertension (HT) and pre-HT. The gender specific prevalence of HT/pre-HT was higher in the male (76.7%) compared to the female (30.5%) group. Waist circumference (WC) and total body fat (TBF) correlated significantly with blood pressure and HT/pre-HT in females but not males. ROC analysis showed that with the exception of waist-to-hip (WHR), all other anthropometric measurements and ratios studied can be used to discriminate blood pressure in young adult females not males.

CONCLUSION

Increased WC and HC were associated with HT and pre-HT in young adult females in the Walter Sisulu University.