Prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in employees of the Research Center at Petrobras.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular diseases in employees of the research center at Petrobras.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional study, employees of the research center at Petrobras were assessed clinically and by laboratory testing from March 2000 and February 2001. Those who did not attend the periodical annual medical examination of 2000 were excluded from the study. The percentage of risk factor occurrence and the mean standard deviation of the biochemical variables, blood pressure, and body mass index were calculated.


RESULTS
Of 1,911 employees, 970 were studied, 75.4% were men and 24.6% were women with a mean age of 42.2 years old. The risk factors were lack of exercise (67.3%), cholesterol > 200 mg/dL (56.6%), overweight (42%), obesity (17%), blood hypertension (18.2%), smoking (12.4%), and diabetes mellitus (2.5%).


CONCLUSIONS
The high prevalence of risk factors for cardiovascular disease in young individuals draws attention to the need for the adoption of workplace programs to encourage healthy lifestyles and to prevent diseases.
Faculdade de Medicina, Universidade Federal do Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brasil. mfmatos@cenpes.petrobras.com.br
Maria de Fátima Duarte
Mde F
Matos
Nelson Albuquerque
NA
Souza e Silva
Armando Jorge Marques
AJ
Pimenta
Antonio José Ledo Alves
AJ
da Cunha
D000328:Adult; D001938:Brazil; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009786:Occupational Health Services; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors