A comparative assessment of high blood pressure and its dietary risk factors among teaching and non-teaching staff of University of Lagos, Nigeria

Abstract

Background: High-blood-pressure is a silent-killer and one of the leading causes of death globally.

Objective: This study assessed and compared high-blood-pressure and its dietary-risk-factors among teaching-and non-teaching staff of University of Lagos, Nigeria.

Methods: A three-stage sampling-technique was used to select 978 respondents from 9 out of 12 University faculties/Senate-building. Respondents' socio-demographic-information and HBP dietary-risk-factors were collected using an adapted pre-tested version of WHO-STEPwise-questionnaire. Blood-pressure was measured using an automatic blood-pressure monitor, sphygmomanometer. Data was analysed using descriptive-statistics, student-t-test and binary-logistic-regression at p<0.05.

Results: Mean ages were teaching (TS) 48.9±8.56years and non-teaching-staff (NTS) 41.8±9.40years. Systolic-BP was 127.1±13.44 mmHg and 123.6±16.15mmHg for TS and NTS respectively; Diastolic-BP 79.6±7.68mmHg and 78.6±9.57mmHg for TS and NTS respectively. HBP was 24.2% and 22.9% for TS and NTS using 2003-JNC7 while 2017-guideline was 64.7% and 51.1% for TS and NTS respectively. Fruits were consumed ≥3days/week by TS (68.1%) and <3days/week by NTS (50.2%). Vegetables were consumed ≥3days/week by TS (60.5%) and NTS (52.4%); Alcohol: 1-2 days/week 12.6% and 19.5% for TS and NTS; Addition of extra salt to meals always 2.6% and 3.3% by TS and NTS. Processed-foods consumed always 9.7% and 15.6% by TS and NTS. Statistically significant association existed between dietary-risk-factors and HBP (p<0.05). HBP-odds among teaching-staff increased with low-consumption of vegetables (<3 days/week) (OR = 1.88; 95% CI: (1.17-3.03); p=0.009) and high-consumption of vegetable-oil (OR = 1.74; 95% CI: (1.08 - 2.80); p=0.022).

Conclusion: Hypertensive non-teaching-staff consumed more of dietary-risk-factors of HBP than teaching-staff. Workplace nutrition-education and awareness campaign is very crucial.