Rising blood pressure in Bangladesh

Almost a fourth of residents living in a middle-class neighborhood of Bangladesh’s capital city Dhaka were found to have hypertension, reports a study published in Global Cardiology Science & Practice. Researchers in Bangladesh collected demographic, anthropometric and health-related data from 730 residents of a randomly selected neighborhood in Dhaka. Their aim was to assess the prevalence and risk factors for hypertension in urban Bangladesh . They found that nearly a quarter of the study population had hypertension, affecting relatively more men than women. People aged 66 to 74 were found to be significantly more at-risk than those in other age groups. Bangladeshis have a cultural preference to high salt intake, and study participants who consumed more than one teaspoon of salt a day were found to be 1.5 times more at risk for hypertension than others. Smokers and tobacco users were also at a higher risk of developing hypertension. Finally, obese participants, those with a high waist circumference, a family history of stroke or cardiovascular disease, or who consumed less than 2.5 cups of vegetables per day were at a higher risk of developing the disease. High blood pressure is estimated (http://www.who.int/gho/ncd/risk_factors/blood_pressure_prevalence_text/en/) to cause 12.8% of all deaths globally each year. In 2008, it affected 40% of the world’s population over the age of 25. A disproportionately high number of people living with hypertension are in low- and middle-income countries. The 2011 Bangladesh Demographic and Health Survey reported that hypertension affected as much as 34% of adults living in the country. Another study found hypertension was relatively less prevalent in rural areas compared to urban centres. Hypertension and cardiovascular diseases have recently increased in South-East Asia as a result of rapid urbanization, increased life expectancy, and lifestyle changes. The researchers say that policies that target the promotion of a healthy lifestyle are needed in Bangladesh and the wider region. “Population-based intervention programmes and policies for increased awareness about risk factors and lifestyle modifications are essential for prevention of hypertension,” they write.Other InformationPublished in: QScience.com Highlights, Published by Nature Research for Hamad bin Khalifa University Press (HBKU Press) License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0

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