title: High prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among policemen in Puducherry, South India.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Diabetes mellitus and hypertension (HT) are common diseases in adulthood, pre-disposing to many cardiovascular complications, posing a major public health challenge. Few studies have reported increased prevalence of cardiovascular disease risk factors and type 2 diabetes in policemen. Hence, this study aims to assess the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes, HT, smoking, alcohol intake, and obesity among policemen.
  
  
  METHODS
  A cross-sectional study was carried out in 2008-2009 among 256 policemen in Puducherry, South India. Policemen were selected by simple random sampling. Socio-demographic details and some of the risk factors such as alcohol intake and smoking history were obtained using a pre-tested, structured questionnaire. Presence of stress was measured using the professional life stress score questionnaire. Blood pressure, waist circumference, and hip circumference were measured by standard methods. Fasting blood sugar was estimated using a glucometer. Serum cholesterol was also measured. Lipid profile was measured for a randomly chosen subgroup of 50 participants.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of study participants was 40.9 years (SD ± 10.9). Out of the study subjects, 23% (n = 60) were known diabetic and 16.8% (n = 43) were known hypertensive. Prevalence of diabetes among study participants was 33.6% (CI: 27.8%-39.6%). Prevalence of HT among study participants was 30.5% (CI: 24.9%-36.5%). Seventy percent (n = 178) had at least moderate range of stress in their life related to their profession and 4% (n = 11) had stress as a "problem" in their life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Burden of cardiovascular risk factors such as diabetes and HT was high among police personnel of Puducherry.
authors.affiliation: Department of Community Medicine, Indira Gandhi Medical College and Research Institute, Puducherry 605009, India.
authors.forename: Jayalakshmy
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Ramakrishnan
authors.forename: Sumanth Mallikarjuna
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Majgi
authors.forename: Kariyarath Cheriyath
authors.initials: KC
authors.lastname: Premarajan
authors.forename: Subitha
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lakshminarayanan
authors.forename: Susila
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Thangaraj
authors.forename: Palanivel
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Chinnakali
keywords: Cardiovascular risk factors; Diabetes; Hypertension; Policemen
references.citation: Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2003 Jul;61(1):69-76
references.pmid: 12849925
references.citation: Lancet. 2005 Nov 12;366(9498):1744-9
references.pmid: 16291069
references.citation: Am Heart J. 1991 Mar;121(3 Pt 1):951-7
references.pmid: 2000773
references.citation: N Engl J Med. 1998 Jul 23;339(4):229-34
references.pmid: 9673301
references.citation: Circulation. 1993 Nov;88(5 Pt 1):2460-70
references.pmid: 8222141
references.citation: Diabetes Care. 2003 Mar;26(3):719-24
references.pmid: 12610028
references.citation: Arch Intern Med. 1993 Mar 8;153(5):598-615
references.pmid: 8439223
references.citation: Ann Intern Med. 2000 Aug 1;133(3):183-91
references.pmid: 10906832
references.citation: J Occup Med. 1983 Jun;25(6):455-8
references.pmid: 6886847
references.citation: Diabetes Care. 2001 Sep;24(9):1590-5
references.pmid: 11522704
references.citation: Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2007 Jun;76(3):368-77
references.pmid: 17034894
references.citation: Diabetes Res Clin Pract. 2007 Aug;77(2):269-79
references.pmid: 17229484
references.citation: Diabetes Care. 2011 Jan;34 Suppl 1:S11-61
references.pmid: 21193625
references.citation: Diabetologia. 2001 Sep;44(9):1094-101
references.pmid: 11596662
references.citation: J Assoc Physicians India. 2008 Nov;56:845-9
references.pmid: 19263681
references.citation: JAMA. 2003 May 21;289(19):2560-72
references.pmid: 12748199
references.citation: Lancet. 1994 Jul 9;344(8915):101-6
references.pmid: 7912348