Blood pressure, excess weight and level of physical activity in students of a public university.
BACKGROUND
High blood pressure, excess weight and sedentary lifestyle are important risk factors for cardiovascular diseases, and they are closely associated.


OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the nutritional status, level of physical activity and blood pressure levels of students of Universidade Federal do Piauí, Teresina, Brazil.


METHODS
Cross-sectional study with a sample of 605 students (46.1% males and 53.9% females), with a mean age of 21.7 ± 3.7 years. The nutritional status was classified according to body mass index (BMI), and central adiposity according to waist circumference (WC). The level of physical activity was evaluated using the short version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ). Elevated blood pressure was defined as systolic blood pressure > 140 mmHg and/or diastolic blood pressure ≥ 90 mmHg.


RESULTS
The prevalence of elevated blood pressure was 9.7%, and was higher among men. Excess weight (BMI > 25 kg/m(2)) was found in 18.2% of the students, with overweight and obesity rates of 15.2% and 3%, respectively. Abdominal obesity was found in 2.4% of the students regardless of gender, and sedentary lifestyle in 52%. The mean blood pressure increased with increasing BMI and WC. No association was found between the levels of physical activity and blood pressure.


CONCLUSIONS
An association of increased body weight and waist circumference with higher blood pressure levels was observed among the participants. Instruments for an early assessment of the cardiovascular risk and preventive advice should be established for these young individuals.
Martins
Maria do Carmo de Carvalho e
Mdo C
Universidade Federal do Piauí, Teresina, PI, Brazil. carminhacmartins@yahoo.com.br
Ricarte
Irapuá Ferreira
IF
Rocha
Cláudio Henrique Lima
CH
Maia
Rodrigo Batista
RB
Silva
Vitor Brito da
VB
Veras
André Bastos
AB
Filho
Manoel Dias de Souza
MD
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology*; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015444:Exercise / Q000502:physiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009752:Nutritional Status / Q000502:physiology*; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D017678:Sex Distribution; D055815:Young Adult