ObjectiveTo estimate the prevalence of a set of risk factors for non-transmissible chronic diseases and compare it to that found 15-16 years ago in a similar survey. Methods A cross-sectional household survey was carried out comprising a random sample of people aged 15-59 years in the city of São Paulo between 2001 and 2002. The total of 2,103 people answered a questionnaire and had their blood pressure, weight, height, waist and hip circumferences measured. For a third of these participants, their total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose levels were determined.
ResultsThe total age-adjusted prevalences in the study age group were as follows: smoking, 22.6%; uncontrolled blood pressure, 24.3%; obesity, 13.7%; increased waist circumference, 19.7%; total cholesterol ≥240 mg/dL, 8.1%; HDL-cholesterol <40 mg/ dL, 27.1%; triglycerides ≥200 mg/dL, 14.4%; and blood glucose ≥110 mg/dL, 6.8%. Smoking, uncontrolled blood pressure, high total cholesterol, low HDL-cholesterol and high triglycerides were significantly more prevalent in men than women.
ConclusionsThe prevalences of a set of risk factors for chronic diseases showed men to have a poorer condition than women. In comparison to the previous survey, the prevalence of uncontrolled blood pressure remained unchanged but the prevalence of smoking has significantly lowered. methodology, most of them were conducted separately and at different points in time (Volta Redonda, 7 1979-1980 Fortaleza, 19 1985; Araraquara, 10 1987; Piracicaba, 1 1988; Cotia, 15 1990 Cotia, 15 -1991 Ilha do Governador, 8 1991-1992 Pelotas, 6,17 1992 and Passo Fundo, 21 1995; Catanduva, 4 1998), making it difficult to identify geographical differences and temporal changes. Few exceptions are the studies on diabetes in Brazilian capitals 13 and on obesity trends in urban and rural areas. 16 Porto Alegre is perhaps the only Brazilian city where the prevalence of hypertension was measured at two points in time, in the 70's and in the 90's. were later excluded because they were found to be pregnant or puerperal women.The final sample was then composed of 2,103 people who answered a questionnaire applied by trained nurse interviewers, and had their blood pressure, weight, height, waist and hip circumferences measured twice. Most (70.9%) interviews were performed on weekends (42.7% on Saturdays and 28.2% on Sundays), and 29.1% were equally distributed on the other five weekdays. A 10% randomly selected subsample of interviews had their integrity checked by telephone, and showed no discrepancies.About a third of participants (759), randomly selected, answered a quantitative nutrition questionnaire and 700 had a fasting venous blood sample collected at home; as 59 (7.8%) refused to have their blood drawn. In order to minimize the interference of overeating on weekends, blood collection was not carried out on Sundays and was avoided on Mondays. Blood samples were processed for determinations of plasma glucose and serum total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and trig...
