Diabetes, obesity and non-optimum blood pressure levels in a group of employees of the University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus, 2003.
OBJECTIVE
To estimate the proportion of diabetes, obesity and non-optimum blood pressure levels in a group of employees of the University of Puerto Rico Medical Sciences Campus that participated in a diabetes health fair at the "Centro de Diabetes para Puerto Rico".


METHODS
A total of 113 participants of the diabetes health fair completed a questionnaire to obtain demographic characteristics and the frequency of self-reported diabetes. The nursing staff examined the participants in order to obtain the following clinical characteristics: body mass index, blood pressure and blood glucose levels.


RESULTS
The proportion of self-reported diabetes, obesity (> or = 30 kg/m2) and non-optimum blood pressure levels (systolic > or = 20 mm/Hg or diastolic > or = 80 mm/Hg) were 15.4% (95% CI: 8.5% - 25.7%), 80.0% (95% CI: 70.8%-86.9%) and 70.5% (95% CI: 61.1%-78.6%), respectively. Although it was not statistically significant, diabetes was higher among females (15.4%) compared to males (12.0%). All participants with self-reported diabetes were overweight or obese, and 91.7% showed non-optimum blood pressure levels. A significant positive correlation (p < 0.001) was observed between blood pressure levels and body mass index (r = 0.3).


CONCLUSIONS
The percentage of persons with diabetes, obesity, and non-optimum blood pressure levels in this sample of Medical Sciences Campus employees underscores the need for confirming these results in a larger study and developing strategies focused on reducing health risks in this population.
Disdier-Flores
Orville M
OM
Diabetes Center of Puerto Rico, Puerto Rico Medical Center, Rio Piedras, Puerto Rico 00935. Odisdier@rcm.upr.edu
Rodríguez-Lugo
Luis A
LA
D000328:Adult; D001795:Blood Pressure Determination; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006277:Health Fairs; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology; D014495:Universities