Burden of obesity in essential hypertension: pattern and prevalence.

UNLABELLED Obesity continues to be an epidemic worldwide. There also continues to be a relationship between obesity and hypertension both causal and consequentially. The study aims at determining the prevalence and pattern of overweight and obesity among our patients being managed for essential hypertension. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study was a cross sectional study. Consecutive patients diagnosed with essential hypertension were recruited from two university teaching hospitals in the South West of Nigeria. Demographic data such as age, gender, weight and height were obtained from patients at recruitment. Patients with congestive heart failure, secondary hypertension, chronic kidney disease, and other chronic diseases were excluded. Pregnant women were also excluded. Obesity was defined according to WHO classification. Statistical analysis was done by the Statistical Package for Social Sciences version 11.0. RESULTS One thousand one hundred and two (1102) consecutive hypertensive patients were recruited. Two hundred and eighty six (286) were dropped due to evidence of overt heart failure (98) and chronic kidney disease and others (188). There were (420) males (51.5%) and 396 females (48.5%), mean age 54.97 (±13.14) years. (Range 10-91). 7.6% (62) were underweight (36 males, 26 Females): 260 (31.9%) were overweight, consisting of 148 males and 112 females: 135 (16.5%) had mild obesity consisting of 48 males and 87 females: 43(5.3%) had moderate obesity with 15 males and 28 females while 30(3.7%) had severe obesity (consisting of 22 females). CONCLUSION About two thirds of the hypertensive patients seen in two teaching hospitals in the South West of Nigeria in this study were either overweight or obese. Therefore lifestyle modification geared toward weight reduction should be emphasized in these patients.