[Prevalence of abdominal obesity in hypertensive patients registered in a Family Health Unit].

BACKGROUND Abdominal obesity is an important cardiovascular risk factor and, along with dyslipidemia, impaired glucose tolerance and hypertension, it makes up the metabolic syndrome. OBJECTIVE To investigate the prevalence of abdominal obesity and associated factors in hypertensive patients. METHODS Cross-sectional study with hypertensive patients aged 20 to 79 registered in a Family Health Unit in the city of Londrina, Paraná. Abdominal obesity was found through waist-hip ratio (WHR) and waist circumference (WC) according to the cutoff points recommended by the World Health Organization (WHR > 1.0 and > WC 102 cm for men and WHR > WC 0.85 and > 88 cm for women). RESULTS Among 378 respondents, the prevalence of abdominal obesity determined by WHR was 65.3% in adults and 68.1% in the elderly, and 87.9% in females and 30.2% in males (p <0.001). In women, WHR was associated with reports of high cholesterol, failure to perform regular physical activity, lack of paid work and low education. There was no association of WHR with any variables in males. High waist circumference was present in 66.8% of adults and 64.3% of elderly patients, also with differences between sexes (p <0.001). High waist circumference was associated, in women, to diabetes and to nonsmoking, and in men, to diabetes and to physical inactivity. CONCLUSION These results show a high prevalence of abdominal obesity, especially among women, reinforcing the need for strategies to reduce abdominal obesity among hypertensive patients.