BEHAVIORAL AND DIETARY FACTORS INVOLVED IN HYPERTENSION

Abstract

Objective: To study the relationship of behavioral and dietary factors withhypertension and to study whether these factors predict hypertension disease?Methodology: This cross sectional study was conducted at Public Hospitals ofPunjab. Total sample was 350, outdoor hypertensive patients (N= 200,men=100, women=100) between ages 30-65, and control group (N=150,men=75, women= 75), matched with age, gender and monthly income, wasrecruited from the public hospitals. A comprehensive behavioral and dietaryinformation questionnaire was prepared and used for data collection. Descriptivestatistics, chi-square and logistic regression analyses were used. Results: Significant positive correlation of hypertension with sedentary lifestyle2 2 (x = 28.49, p <.001), alcohol use (x = 13.99, p <.001), saturated fat foods2 2 (x = 8.78, p <.001) and salty foods (x = 13.45, p <.001) was found. Physicalinactivity (B=.64, OR=1.85, 95% CI, 1.18-3.21, p<.001), smoking (B=.37,OR= 1.72, 95% CI, 1.14-2.98, p<.01), intake of salty food (B = .43, OR= 1.51,95% CI, 1.12-1.98, p<.01), desi-ghee (B= .63, OR= 1.90, 95% CI, 1.34-3.20,p<.001) and eggs appeared as significant negative predictors of hypertension. Conclusion: There is significant positive correlation of hypertension withsedentary lifestyle, alcohol use, saturated fat foods and salty foods, whilephysical inactivity ,smoking, intake of salty food, desi-ghee and eggs appearedas significant negative predictors of hypertension.