Tantchou Tchoumi J C, Sr Appolonia BUDZEE

Authors’ affiliation : St Elizabeth Catholic general hospital, Cardiac centre

Abstract

Background: Non-communicable diseases (NCD) have become more prevalent in developing countries, where they cause double burden as infectious diseases. Hypertension, a major health concern among NCDs, is a leading cause of cardiovascular disease and a primary cause of stroke, coronary heart disease, heart failure, kidney disease, and blindness. The aim of the study was to investigate the prevalence of obesity and hypertension in female farmers living in a grassfield rural area of Cameroon.

Patients and Methods: The cross-sectional study was carried out in the medical outpatient department of the St. Elizabeth Catholic General hospital Shisong, Cardiac centre. 77 female farmers were recruited into the study. Following informed verbal consent, and after the patient had been seated for at least 10 minutes, a trained nurse took blood pressure and anthropometric measurements. Abnormal measurements were repeated after a further 30-minute rest, and the lower measurement was recorded on the questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements were taken, following standard protocol, with patients in light clothing and no shoes. Body weight was measured to the nearest 0.1 kilogram (kg). Height was measured to the nearest centimetre (cm) with the patient in the upright position. Body mass index (BMI) was computed as weight (in kg) divided by the square of the height (in metres).

Results: 77 patients presented themselves, aged between 37 and 92 years old, giving a mean of 54 ± 13 years old.  The mean systolic, diastolic blood pressure, height, weight, BMI and waist circumference of the ladies were 138±22,7mmHg, 83 ±14 mmHg,  158,5 ± 7 cm, 70 ± 13,7 kg, 27,7 ± 5 and 88 ± 10cm respectively. According to the JNC 7 classification of HTN, normal blood pressure was seen in 30% of the population with a mean blood pressure of 110, 5 ± 6 and 63,6 ± 6,5 mmHg . Pre-hypertensive was 41,4 % of the population with a reading of 128 ± 6 and 73 ± 10 mmHg. Hypertension stage I and II were diagnosed in 13% and 15,6% respectively with the following figures: 150 ± 6 and 81 ± 9, and 181,8 ± 16 and 87 ± 15mmHg. 92% attended only primary school and 8% had no education. The BMI was normal with the mean being 22 ±1,74 kg/m2 in 27%. The overweighed were representing 35% of the population with a mean BMI – 26,8 ± 1,4 mmHg. Moderate obesity was represented in 23,2% of ladies with a mean BMI – 31,4 ± 1,5kg/m2. Severe obesity was diagnosed in 14,8% patients with a mean BMI  - 36,3 ± 1,3 kg/m2. According to the waist circumference, overweighed ladies were representing  31,2%, the figure being – 83 ± 2,2cm. Obese ladies were 48%, the mean waist circumference being 96,6 ± 8cm. There was a good correlation between the waist circumference and the BMI in obese patients. There was no significant difference between the readings of the blood pressure in different groups of obesity.

Conclusion: The prevalence of hypertension and obesity in female farmers in the grass field high altitude area is high. Our findings confirm the growing public health challenge of Non Communicable Diseases (NCD) like hypertension as a public health problem in rural Cameroon. There is an urgent need for preventive strategies on hypertension and obesity control in this area.