title: The natural history of cardiovascular risk factors in health professionals: 20-year follow-up.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The knowledge of the presence and evolution of cardiovascular risk factors in young people may significantly contribute to actions to modify the natural history of these risks and prevent the onset of cardiovascular disease.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  To assess the presence and evolution of cardiovascular risk factors in health professionals over a 20-year period.
  
  
  METHODS
  A group of individuals was evaluated when they first started graduate programs in medicine, nursing, nutrition, dentistry, and pharmacy, and 20 years later. Data obtained in the two phases were compared. Questionnaires about hypertension, diabetes, hypercholesterolemia, family history of early-onset cardiovascular disease, smoking, alcohol consumption, and sedentary lifestyle were administered. Cholesterol, blood glucose, blood pressure, weight, height, and body mass index (BMI) were measured.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Of the 281 individuals (62.9 % women; mean age 19.7 years) initially analyzed, 215 (59.07 % women; mean age 39.8 years) were analyzed 20 years later. An increase in mean values of systolic (111.6 vs 118.7 mmHg- p < 0.001) and diastolic blood pressure (71 vs 77.1 mmHg - p < 0.001), cholesterol (150.1 vs 182.4 mg/dL - p < 0.001), blood glucose (74.3 vs 81.4 mg/dL - p < 0.001) and BMI (20.7 vs 23.7 kg/m(2) - p = 0.017) was observed. Despite the decrease of sedentarism (50.2 vs 38.1 % - p = 0.015), the prevalence of hypertension (4.6 vs 18.6 % - p < 0.001), excessive weight (8.2 vs 32.1 % - p < 0.001), hypercholesterolemia (7.8 vs 24.2 % - p < 0.001), and alcohol consumption (32.7 vs 34.9 % - p = 0.037) increased. There was no change in the prevalence of smoking.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Health professionals presented an increase in systolic and diastolic blood pressure, blood glucose, body mass index, and cholesterol over the 20-year study period. Regarding the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors, increased blood pressure, overweight, hypercholesterolemia and alcohol consumption, and a decrease in sedentary lifestyle were observed.
authors.affiliation: Hypertension League, Federal University of Goiás, Primeira Avenida Sem número, Setor Universitário, CEP 74000-000, Goiânia Goiás, Brazil. thiagoloirin@hotmail.com.
authors.forename: Thiago Veiga
authors.initials: TV
authors.lastname: Jardim
authors.affiliation: Hypertension League, Federal University of Goiás, Primeira Avenida Sem número, Setor Universitário, CEP 74000-000, Goiânia Goiás, Brazil. demmilima@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Ana Luiza Lima
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Sousa
authors.affiliation: Hypertension League, Federal University of Goiás, Primeira Avenida Sem número, Setor Universitário, CEP 74000-000, Goiânia Goiás, Brazil. thaisrolim.edfis@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Thais Inacio Rolim
authors.initials: TI
authors.lastname: Povoa
authors.affiliation: Hypertension League, Federal University of Goiás, Primeira Avenida Sem número, Setor Universitário, CEP 74000-000, Goiânia Goiás, Brazil. sebbabarroso@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Weimar Kunz Sebba
authors.initials: WK
authors.lastname: Barroso
authors.affiliation: Hypertension League, Federal University of Goiás, Primeira Avenida Sem número, Setor Universitário, CEP 74000-000, Goiânia Goiás, Brazil. brunellamc@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Brunela
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Chinem
authors.affiliation: Hypertension League, Federal University of Goiás, Primeira Avenida Sem número, Setor Universitário, CEP 74000-000, Goiânia Goiás, Brazil. lucianasanches76@yahoo.com.br.
authors.forename: Luciana
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Jardim
authors.affiliation: Hypertension League, Federal University of Goiás, Primeira Avenida Sem número, Setor Universitário, CEP 74000-000, Goiânia Goiás, Brazil. faelarodrigues@uol.com.br.
authors.forename: Rafaela
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Bernardes
authors.affiliation: Hypertension and Vascular Risk Unit, Hospital Clínic (IDIBAPS), University of Barcelona, Barcelona, Spain. acoca@clinic.ub.es.
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Coca
authors.affiliation: Hypertension League, Federal University of Goiás, Primeira Avenida Sem número, Setor Universitário, CEP 74000-000, Goiânia Goiás, Brazil. fvjardim@terra.com.br.
authors.forename: Paulo Cesar Brandão Veiga
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Jardim
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000428:Alcohol Drinking; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D002784:Cholesterol / Q000097:blood*; D015444:Exercise; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006282:Health Personnel / Q000193:education; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000453:epidemiology; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D057185:Sedentary Behavior; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D002784:Cholesterol