Anthropometric Variables And Blood Pressure Of Adults In Ikwuano Local Government Area, Abia State.

ABSTRACT

The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between anthropometric variables and blood pressure among adults in Ikwuano Local Government Area, Abia State. This study was a cross-sectional survey used to assess anthropometric variables and blood pressure of 429 rural adults from two different communities in Ikwuano Local Government Area of Abia State. Information on socio-demographic characteristics and anthropometric variables were collected using a structured questionnaire, while sphygmomanometer was used to access blood pressure. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to analyze the data. A P value of less than 0.05 was accepted at statistically significant. Results from this study revealed that majority of the respondents were males (52.9%) and more than half of the respondents (59.1%) were aged between 20-30 years. The major occupation observed in this study was artisan (34.7%), slightly more than half of the population had normal blood pressure and some had pre-hypertension or elevated blood pressure (24.2%).  Less than a quarter of the participants (23.8%) and (15.9%) were overweight and obese, respectively, while more than half of the participants (56.4%) had normal weight. Half of the participants (50.8%) had high risk waist-hip ratio while some (38.2%) had low risk waist-hip ratio. All the anthropometric variables, systolic pressure and BMI (r = 0.199, P<0.01), diastolic pressure and BMI (r = 0.218, P<0.01), blood pressure status and waist circumference (r = 0.231, P<0.01), showed a positive correlation with blood pressure, while an insignificant positive correlation (P<0.01) was observed between blood pressure status and waist-hip ratio (r = 0.057; p = 0.243). This study revealed a relationship between blood pressure and anthropometric variables of adults in Ikwuano Local Government Area, Abia State. It is recommended that a healthy way of life such as maintaining a healthy diet and exercising should be implemented to reduce obesity and hypertension.