High rates of obesity and cardiovascular disease risk factors in lower middle class community in Pakistan: the Metroville Health Study.
OBJECTIVE
To describe the distribution of over weight and body mass index, waist circumference and waist/ hip ratio, correlate obesity measures to coronary heart disease risk factors in comparison to Pakistan National Survey (PNS).


METHODS
The Metroville Health Study (MHS) was an urban risk factor reduction intervention study in Metroville Karachi. Base line data was used which was not a random sample. Demographic data including serum cholesterol, glucose, haemoglobin, and blood pressure were collected.


RESULTS
In MHS high cholesterol was 16% and 24% in men and women respectively, and 25% had hypertension. Self-reported diabetes was 8%, over-weight/obesity 34% and 49% for men and women, compared to 16% and 25% for PNS, while high risk waist-hip ratio (WHR) was present in 41% and 72% of men and women respectively. Under-weight in Metroville men was 12% and 9% in women, compared to 26% and 27% in PNS. The anthropometry variables were significantly correlated with each other while weight was significantly correlated with TC and waist circumference (WC).


CONCLUSIONS
Obesity was alarmingly prevalent in urban Metroville in comparison to PNS. Cardio Vascular Disease (CVD) risk factors were prevalent in Metroville and TC and WC were significantly correlated with obesity measures. For prevention of increasing CVD in urban communities, targeted programs of intervention are required.
Dennis
Barbara
B
Department of Biostatistics, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA.
Aziz
Kalimuddin
K
She
Lilin
L
Faruqui
Azhar M A
AM
Davis
C E
CE
Manolio
Teri A
TA
Burke
Gregory L
GL
Aziz
Salim ud din
Su
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000886:Anthropometry; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D003159:Community-Institutional Relations; D003924:Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006949:Hyperlipidemias / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009316:National Institutes of Health (U.S.); D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D010154:Pakistan / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D014481:United States; D014504:Urban Health