شیوع عوامل خطر بیماری های قلبی- عروقی در نوجوانان شهر همدان

Background and Aim: Cardiovascular diseases are the main cause of death in the world. Several factors such as lifestyle can alter incidence of these diseases. Cardiovascular diseases originate from childhood therefore, early prevention must begin from childhood and adolescence in order to be able to modify risk factors. The aim of this study was to identify modifiable (tobacco smoke exposure, physical inactivity, hypertension, obesity, incorrect dietary habits and high blood pressure) and non-modifiable (family history) cardiovascular risk factors in Hamedani adolescents. Materials and Methods: This was a descriptive- analytic Cross- Sectional study, including 1000 students selected by stratified cluster sampling, from 8 high schools in Hamden, Iran. The subjects’ height, weight and blood pressure were measured and their body mass index (BMI) was calculated. A questionnaire was used to obtain information on life style. Results: On the whole, 23% of the participants had a family history of hypertension and hyperlipidemia. The data also showed that 10.7% of the participants had a BMI more than 25kg/m², 59% had no physical activity, more than 50% had a high intake of salt, and 67% were exposed to passive tobacco smoke. The average length of time spent daily on watching T.V. or playing video games was 6 hours. Proportions of the subjects consuming saturated oils, high-fat dairy products, ready-to-eat foods, and junk foods (potato chips and puffed cereals) were 50.8%, 33.1%, 48.6%, and 75.4%, respectively. The most common method of cooking was frying (used by 35.9% of the families). Finally, 3.4% of the adolescents were smokers themselves and 25% of them said that their friends smoked, while 67.7% were exposed to cigarette smoke from their smoker-relatives. Conclusion: Most of the Hamedani adolescents are at risk of cardiovascular diseases risk factors. Primary intervention programs should be designed and implemented aiming at promoting the health and nutritional awareness and, ultimately, practice, of the general population with particular emphasis on adolescents.