High prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors in Asian Indians: a community survey - Chandigarh Urban Diabetes Study (CUDS).
OBJECTIVE
Studies conducted to assess the prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors among different regions of the country show variation in risk factors in different age groups and urban and rural population. We undertook this study to determine the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors among urban adults in a north Indian city.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional survey, 2227 subjects aged ≥ 20 yr were studied from April 2008 to June 2009 in Urban Chandigarh, a north Indian city. Demographic history, anthropometry and blood pressure were assessed. Fasting, and 2 h capillary plasma glucose after 75 g glucose load, HDL-C and triglycerides were estimated.


RESULTS
The most prevalent cardiovascular risk factors in the age group of 20-29 yr was sedentary lifestyle (63%), while from fourth decade and onwards, it was overweight/obesity (59-85%). The second most common prevalent cardiovascular risk factor in the age group of 20-29 yr was overweight/obesity, in 30-49 yr sedentary lifestyle, in 50-69 yr hypertension and in subjects ≥70 yr, it was hypertriglyceridaemia. The prevalence of overweight/obesity, hypertension, dysglycaemia and smoking was almost double in subjects in the fourth decade of life, as compared to those in the third decade of life. The prevalence of CV risk factors significantly increased with age irrespective of gender and prevalence of low HDL-C was significantly more common in women as compared to men.


CONCLUSIONS
Sedentary lifestyle, obesity and low HDL-C are the most prevalent CV risk factors in subjects in the third and fourth decade of life in this north Indian population and clustering of these cardiovascular risk factors increases with advancing age. Strategies need to be formulated to target this population to prevent the epidemic of cardiovascular disease.
Rama
R
Walia
Department of Endocrinology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education & Research Chandigarh, India.
Anil
A
Bhansali
Muthuswamy
M
Ravikiran
Padala
P
Ravikumar
Sanjay K
SK
Bhadada
G
G
Shanmugasundar
Pinaki
P
Dutta
Naresh
N
Sachdeva
D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D000368:Aged; D044466:Asian People; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D007194:India; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012424:Rural Population; D014505:Urban Population