title: Lifestyle Patterns Are Associated with Elevated Blood Pressure among Qatari Women of Reproductive Age: A Cross-Sectional National Study.
abstract: Women of childbearing age are particularly vulnerable to the adverse effects of elevated blood pressure (BP), with dietary and lifestyle habits being increasingly recognized as important modifiable environmental risk factors for this condition. Using data from the National STEPwise survey conducted in Qatar in year 2012, we aimed to examine lifestyle patterns and their association with elevated BP among Qatari women of childbearing age (18-45 years). Socio-demographic, lifestyle, dietary, anthropometric and BP data were used (n = 747). Principal component factor analysis was applied to identify the patterns using the frequency of consumption of 13 foods/food groups, physical activity level, and smoking status. Multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to evaluate the association of the identified lifestyle patterns with elevated BP and to examine the socio-demographic correlates of these patterns. Three lifestyle patterns were identified: a "healthy" pattern characterized by intake of fruits, natural juices, and vegetables; a "fast food &amp; smoking" pattern characterized by fast foods, sweetened beverages, and sweets, in addition to smoking; and a "traditional sedentary" pattern which consisted of refined grains, dairy products, and meat in addition to low physical activity. The fast food &amp; smoking and the traditional &amp; sedentary patterns were associated with an approximately 2-fold increase in the risk of elevated BP in the study population. The findings of this study highlight the synergistic effect that diet, smoking and physical inactivity may have on the risk of elevated BP among Qatari women.
authors.affiliation: Public Health Department, Supreme Council of Health, Doha, Al Rumaila West, 42 Doha, Qatar. malthani@sch.gov.qa.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Al Thani
authors.affiliation: Health Promotion and Non Communicable Disease Prevention Division, Supreme Council of Health, Doha, Al Rumaila West, 42 Doha, Qatar. aalthani@sch.gov.qa.
authors.forename: Al Anoud
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Al Thani
authors.affiliation: Health Promotion and Non Communicable Disease Prevention Division, Supreme Council of Health, Doha, Al Rumaila West, 42 Doha, Qatar. walchetachi@sch.gov.qa.
authors.forename: Walaa
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Al-Chetachi
authors.affiliation: Health Promotion and Non Communicable Disease Prevention Division, Supreme Council of Health, Doha, Al Rumaila West, 42 Doha, Qatar. balmalki@sch.gov.qa.
authors.forename: Badria
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Al Malki
authors.affiliation: Health Promotion and Non Communicable Disease Prevention Division, Supreme Council of Health, Doha, Al Rumaila West, 42 Doha, Qatar. skhalifa1@sch.gov.qa.
authors.forename: Shamseldin A H
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Khalifa
authors.affiliation: Health Promotion and Non Communicable Disease Prevention Division, Supreme Council of Health, Doha, Al Rumaila West, 42 Doha, Qatar. abakri@sch.gov.qa.
authors.forename: Ahmad Haj
authors.initials: AH
authors.lastname: Bakri
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Food Sciences Department, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, P. O. Box 11-0.236 Riad El Solh, 11072020 Beirut, Lebanon. nahla@aub.edu.lb.
authors.forename: Nahla
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Hwalla
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Food Sciences Department, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, P. O. Box 11-0.236 Riad El Solh, 11072020 Beirut, Lebanon. ln10@aub.edu.lb.
authors.forename: Lara
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Nasreddine
authors.affiliation: Nutrition and Food Sciences Department, Faculty of Agriculture and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, P. O. Box 11-0.236 Riad El Solh, 11072020 Beirut, Lebanon. fn14@aub.edu.lb.
authors.forename: Farah
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Naja
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000367:Age Factors; D001794:Blood Pressure; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects; D005247:Feeding Behavior; D015438:Health Behavior; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000503:physiopathology; D008019:Life Style; D016015:Logistic Models; D008875:Middle Aged; D009043:Motor Activity; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D025341:Principal Component Analysis; D011780:Qatar / Q000453:epidemiology; D060728:Reproductive Health; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D012907:Smoking / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000453:epidemiology; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Qatar; elevated blood pressure; factor analysis; lifestyle pattern; women