DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2014.v02i05.038

Pages: 1677-1681

Obesity and hypertension are both major public health problems of the world. Hypertension remains the most important risk factor identified for the cardiovascular disease of stroke, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease and peripheral vascular disease. It has been observed that body mass index (BMI) is one of the most important risk factor for elevation of blood pressure. This study was carried out in 500 students of Dr. S. N. Medical College, Jodhpur. All these students, according to their gender were divided into two groups of 250 boys and 250 girls. The students were 17 to 23 years old. Students of each group were than subjected to measurement of height, weight and blood pressure. The results revealed that BMI is the main determinant of elevation in both systolic and diastolic blood pressure. The mean systolic (106.77mmHg) and diastolic (73.11mmHg) blood pressure of the underweight male was significantly lower than the normal weight (111.49mmHg and 74.89mmHg respectively). The blood pressure measured of normal weight male (111.49mmHg and 74.89mmHg) was significantly lower than of overweight male (126mmHg and 84mmHg) respectively. The mean systolic (96.94mmHg) and diastolic (65.69mmHg) blood pressure of the underweight female was significantly lower than the normal weight (103.42mmHg and 69.27mmHg respectively). The blood pressure measured of normal weight female (103.42mmHg and 69.27mmHg) was significantly lower than of overweight female (115.68mmHg and 74.05mmHg) respectively while blood pressure of overweight female was not significantly different than obese female. This study clearly establishes positive relation between blood pressure and obesity status of a individual (as evident by BMI values), There is a linear rise in mean SBP and DBP with rise in BMI.