Al Ameen Journal of Medical Sciences (Jan 2018)
Prevalence of lifestyle related cardiovascular risk factors among school-going female adolescents of an industrial town of West Bengal
Abstract
Background: In India the prevalence of non-communicable diseases and related lifestyle behaviors are pervasive. Adolescent population at the transition of childhood and adulthood start to pick lifestyle related risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. The present study was undertaken to estimate the prevalence of lifestyle related risk factors and its socio-demographic correlates among school going adolescent girls in an industrial town in West Bengal, India. Methods: In this cross-sectional study total 415 girls from class VIII- X were participated. Data regarding socio-demographic, individual characteristics as well as physical activity and dietary practices were collected through self-administered questionnaire. Height, weight and blood pressure were measured following standard procedure. Result: Overall prevalence of hypertension/ severe hypertension and overweight was 31.6% and 3.6% respectively. 22.4% students did not have any regular leisure time physical activity. The likelihood of overweight was negatively associated with moderate or vigorous intensity physical activity (AOR 0.07, C.I. 0.01-0.71) and consumption of protective food (AOR 0.011, C.I. 0.002 - 0.058) whereas a positive association was found with intake of obesogenic food (AOR 17.92, C.I. 1.91-67.86). Similarly the chance of having hypertension was negatively associated with girls with perceived economic status (AOR 1.81, C.I. 1.11-2.95) and intake of more protective food (AOR 0.51, C.I. 0.30-0.88 ); whereas, the chance was positively associated with girls with overweight (AOR 4.05, C.I. 1.03-13.94). Conclusion: Appropriate strategies should be adopted involving school authorities, social media as well as parents to control those identified risk factors for reduction of the chance of CVD among today’s adolescent school students.
