Assessment of Overweight and High Blood Pressure Among Individuals in Out - Patient Clinic in A Specialist Hospital

IOSR Journal of Nursing and Health Science (IOSR-JNHS)
e-ISSN: 23201959.p- ISSN: 23201940 Volume 4, Issue 2 Ver. IV (Mar.-Apr. 2015), PP 04-06
www.iosrjournals.org
Assessment of Overweight and High Blood Pressure among

Individuals in Out- Patient Clinic in a Specialist Hospital
Onafowokan M.A. and Rufai M. O.
Department of Health Information Management, College of Health Technology, Ilese, Ogun State.
Abstract: High blood pressure and obesity have been proven to be one of the leading causes of high morbidity
and mortality around the world. This study assessed the occurrence of overweight and high blood pressure
among individual in out-patient clinic in a specialist hospital in Nigeria. A total of 121 patients (40 males and
81 females) who gave their informed consent were recruited into the study from the out-patient clinic, pre-tested
semi , structured questionnaire was used to obtain demographic information of the respondents. The blood
pressure of each patient was obtained and anthropometric measurements were done using standard procedures,
the data was then analyzed. The result showed that majority (33.1%) of them was traders while 19.8% were
civil servants. 21.5% earn above 50,000 naira monthly. Their nutritional status showed that 24.8% were
overweight while, 16.5%, 8.3% and 5.8% were mildly obese, moderately obese and morbidly obese respectively.
Sex and nutritional status were found to significantly affect blood pressure at P<0.05. Therefore, there is need
for health and nutrition campaign to enlighten the populace on how to reduce the risk of hypertension and
obesity for a healthy active life.
Key words: Overweight, Obesity, Blood pressure, Nutritional status
I.
Introduction
Blood pressure is a continuously distributed variable in the population and is a dynamic physiological
function that varies with each heart beat(1). The term blood pressure means the force exerted by the blood
against any unit area of the vessel wall (2). Hypertension or high blood pressure sometimes called arterial
hypertension is a chronic medical condition in which the blood pressure in the arteries is elevated. Blood
pressure is summarized by two measurements, systolic and diastolic which depend on whether the heart muscle
is contracting (systolic) or relaxed between beat (diastolic). This equals the maximum and minimum pressure
respectively. Normal blood pressure at rest is within the range of 100 140 mmHg systolic (top reading) and 60
90 mmHg diastolic (bottom reading). High blood pressure is said to be present if it is often at or above
140/90mmHg.
High blood pressure, or hypertension has no symptoms, and is often called the silent killer because it
can undetected for years until a fatal heart attack or smoke occurs. (3). Hypertension is caused by numerous
factors such as games, age, alcohol intake, excessive intake of salt, overweight, obesity and a sedentary lifestyle.
It have been observed that overweight could be a major factor in determining the increase rate of coronary heart
disease by its influence on blood pressure (4).
Obesity has a potential detrimental effect on blood pressure and increases cardiovascular events. Body
mass index has been traditionally promulgated by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a useful
epidemiological measure of obesity. Obesity is a medical condition in which excess body fat has accumulated to
that it may have a negative effect on health, leading to reduce life expectancy and/or increased health problems
(5,6). Hence, this study assessed obesity and high blood pressure prevalence among patients attending outpatient
clinic in state specialist hospital
II.
Methodology
The study was conducted in state specialist hospital. This study was focus on subjects aged 40 years
and above. A total of 121 respondent that came for clinic during the period of data collection were recruited into
the study. Prior to the survey- approval to embark on the project was obtained from the management of state
specialist hospital Akure and informed consents of the subjects were also obtained. Pre-tested semi structured
questionnaire was used for data collection and this was sectionalized follows demographic and socioeconomic
data and anthropometric information. Data on anthropometric measurement and blood pressure was collected
using standard procedures (7). The data obtained was statistically analyzed using descriptive and inferential
techniques for qualitative data analysis. Correlations were utilized to determine the relationship between the
anthropometric indicator and blood pressure indicators and the level of significance was taken as P<0.05 and all
statistical analysis were done using statistical package for social science (SPSS) version 17.
DOI: 10.9790/1959-04240406
4 | Page
Assessment of Overweight and High Blood Pressure among Individuals in Out- Patient Clinic ..
III.
Result
Table 1 showed that 33.1% were males and 66.9% were females. Subjects occupation showed
that12.4% were bankers and 3.3% were drivers, it was also found out that 19.8% were civil servant and 33.1%
were trader and 12.4.% were artisan. 19% were farmers.
Table 1: Demographic Status
Variables
Sex
Male
Female
Total
Occupation
Farming
Trading
Civil servant
Artisan
Driver
Banker
Total
Frequency
Valid percent
40
81
121
33.1
66.9
100
14
40
24
15
4
15
121
11.6
33.1
19.8
12.4
3.3
12.4
100.0
Table 2 shows that 14% of the subject earned amount less than 10000 per month and only 21.5% earned above
50000.
Table 2 Income Levels
Variables
Head of house hold
<10000
100000-19999
20000-29999
30000-39999
400000-49999
>50000
Total
Frequency
Percentage
12
18
26
16
23
26
121
9.9
14.9
21.5
13.2
19.0
21.5
100.0
Table 3 shows that the prevalence of underweight was 1.7% while overweight, mild obesity, moderate obesity,
and severe obesity were respectively 24.8% ,16.5%,8.3% and5.8%
Table 3 Nutritional status
Nutritional status
Underweight
Normal
Overweight
Mildly obese
Moderately obese
Morbidly/Severe obese
Total
Frequency
2
52
30
20
10
7
121
%
1.7
43.0
24.8
16.5
8.3
5.8
100.0
Table 4 shows that more female were more hypertensive (38.8%) than the males (12.5%)
Table 4 Relationship between sex and hypertension
Sex
Male
Female
Normal Bp
No
27
39
%
67.5
48.1
Low grade
No
8
13
%
20
16.0
Moderate
No
5
31
%
12.5
38.8
P value = 0.02
Table 5 shows the relationship between nutritional status and hypertension, 57.1% of those morbidly obese had
moderate hypertension while 23.3% and 30.0% of those overweight had low grade and moderate grade
hypertension respectively
Table 5 Relationship between nutritional status and hypertension
Nutritional status
Underweight
Normal
Overweight
Moderately obese
Mildly obese
Morbidly obese
Normal
No
2
36
14
10
3
3
%
100.0
69.2
46.7
50.0
30.0
42.9
Low grade
No
%
0
0.0
3
5.8
7
23.3
4
20.0
5
50.0
0
0.0
Moderate grade
No
%
0
0.0
13
25.0
9
30.0
6
30.0
2
30.0
4
57.1
Total
No
2
52
30
20
10
7
%
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
100.0
P value = 0.04
DOI: 10.9790/1959-04240406
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Assessment of Overweight and High Blood Pressure among Individuals in Out- Patient Clinic ..
IV.
Discussion
This study revealed that hypertension wass more prevalent among the females than the males. This can
also be attributed to the fact that female are more affected by hypertension the risk factors abounded with
hypertension may be because this group is prone to obesity or overweight, Sedentary lifestyle, family history,
Age physiological changes in the body which is as a result of menopause, stress Excessive salt intake, low fibre
intake which can accelerate the risk of hypertension (8). These contain the statement put forward by Turkani et
al (2006) (9) which identified obesity has a potential detrimental effect on blood pressure and connote by heart
disease. Obesity is essentially a disorder of energy balance by an excess body fat. It is chronic and often
associated with a range of metabolic abnormalities and degenerative diseases. This complex condition of
multifactorial origin is considered to be scourge of modern affluent societies both in developed and under
developing countries. But a good dietary pattern can helps to stabilized blood pressure and obesity and eliminate
symptoms (9). Moreover, the result showed that sex and nutritional status were also found to be associated with
high blood pressure because, more females were found to be more hypertensive than their male counterpart.
This may be due to the fact that majority of the female respondent were overweight and were menopausal
women.
V.
Conclusion
This study revealed that the prevalence of obesity and high blood pressure were very high among the
respondents. various factors can be attributed to this, among which eating habits, food consumption and lack of
exercise .
VI.
Recommendation
There is need to encourage moderate and simple physical activities and discourage sedentary lifestyle.
This will help to reduce unnecessary weight gain and improve health and nutritional status.
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Guyton A.C and Hall J.E (2006). The Circulation: In: Guyton AC and Hall J.E editor. Textbook of medical physiological 11 th
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Hajjarl, Kotchen J.M, Kotchen T.A: (2006). Hypertension: Trends in prevalence incidence and control. Ann Rev pub Health
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DOI: 10.9790/1959-04240406
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