title: A study of cardiovascular risk in overweight and obese people in England.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To report current levels of obesity and associated cardiac risk using routinely collected primary care computer data.
  
  
  METHODS
  67 practices took part in an educational intervention to improve computer data quality and care in cardiovascular disease. Data were extracted from 435,102 general practice computer records. 64.3% (229,108/362,861) of people age 15 y and older had a body mass index (BMI) recording or a valid height and weight record that enabled BMI to be derived. Data about cardiovascular disease and risk factors were also extracted. The prevalence of disease and the control of risk factors in the overweight and obese population were compared with those of normal body weight.
  
  
  RESULTS
  56.8% of men and 69.3% of women aged over 15 y had a BMI record. 22% of men and 32.3% of women aged 15 to 24 y were overweight or obese; rising each decade to a peak of 65.6% of men and 57.5% of women aged 55 to 64 y. Thereafter, the proportion who were overweight or obese declined. The prevalence of ischaemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus and hypertension rose with increasing levels of obesity; their prevalence in those who are moderately obese was between two and three times that of the general population. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure, blood glucose even in non-diabetics, cholesterol and triglycerides were all elevated in the overweight and obese population.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on the recorded data over half of men and nearly half of women are overweight or obese. They have increased cardiovascular risk, which is not adequately controlled by current practice.
authors.affiliation: Primary Care Informatics, Division of Community Health Sciences, St George's University of London, London, UK. slusigna@sgul.ac.uk
authors.forename: Simon
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: de Lusignan
authors.forename: Nigel
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hague
authors.forename: Jeremy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: van Vlymen
authors.forename: Neil
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dhoul
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Chan
authors.forename: Lavanya
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Thana
authors.forename: Pushpa
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Kumarapeli
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001835:Body Weight; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003327:Coronary Disease / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology; D004739:England / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology