Open AccessPrehypertension among young adult females in Dammam, Saudi Arabia
Author(s) -
Manal Koura,
Badria K Al-Dabal,
Parveen Rasheed,
Latifa Saad Al-Sowielem,
Suhair Mohammad Makki
Publication year - 2012
Publication title -
eastern mediterranean health journal/eastern mediterranean health journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.442
H-Index - 47
eISSN - 1687-1634
pISSN - 1020-3397
DOI - 10.26719/2012.18.728
Subject(s) - prehypertension , medicine , overweight , blood pressure , obesity , logistic regression , waist , cross sectional study , risk factor , demography , environmental health , gerontology , pathology , sociology
The aim of present study was to determine the prevalence of prehypertension and associated risk factors among young adult females in Dammam, Saudi Arabia. A cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of about one-third of female students enrolled in 4 colleges of the University of Dammam. They were screened for high blood pressure and associated cardiovascular risk factors by an interview questionnaire. Weight and height, waist and hip and blood pressure measurements and random blood glucose testing were done. The results revealed that 13.5% of the 370 students were prehypertensive. The most prevalent risk factor for cardiovascular diseases was physical inactivity (53.2%), followed by overweight/obesity (29.1%); 16.3% of prehypertensive students had 3 or more risk factors. Logistic regression analysis revealed that overweight/ obesity was the strongest predictor of prehypertension. Our study indicates a need for routine blood pressure measurements and risk assessment in young adult females in Saudi Arabia.