title: [Prehypertension and hypertension among adults in a metropolitan area in Southern Brazil: population-based study].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the prevalence and factors associated with prehypertension and hypertension among adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based cross-sectional study carried out with a sample of 1,720 adults in the city of Florianópolis, southern Brazil, from September 2009 to January 2012. Information on demographic and socioeconomic factors, health-related behaviors, anthropometric measures, morbidities, and self-rated health was collected through household interviews. Systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels were also assessed as well as use of antihypertensive medications and medical diagnosis of hypertension. The dependent variable was categorized as normal blood pressure, prehypertension and hypertension. Polytomous multiple logistic regression analysis was performed with use of a multinomial logit model.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The overall prevalence of prehypertension and hypertension was 36.1% (95%CI 33.3;38.8) and 40.1% (95%CI 36.6, 43.5), respectively. The polytomous regression analysis showed that prehypertension was significantly associated with males, black skin, 50 - 59 years of age, leisure-time physical inactivity, and pre-obesity. Hypertension was associated with males, 40 years of age or more, intermediary tertile of per capita family income, less than 12 years of schooling, leisure-time physical inactivity, pre-obesity, obesity, abdominal obesity, and negative self-rated health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is pressing to introduce effective public health policies to control hypertension among adult population in Florianópolis, Southern Brazil.
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Educação Física, Universidade Federal de Santa Catarina, 88010-970 Florianópolis, SC, Brasil. diegoaugustoss@yahoo.com.br
authors.forename: Diego Augusto Santos
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.forename: Edio Luiz
authors.initials: EL
authors.lastname: Petroski
authors.forename: Marco Aurélio
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Peres
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D017677:Age Distribution; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D058246:Prehypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D017678:Sex Distribution; D012737:Sex Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult