In this population-based sample, hypertension was associated with smoking in a dose-response manner when characterized as number of years of smoking and lifetime cigarette consumption, but was not associated with current smoking status.

This study examined physical activity in leisure time and at work as estimated by the Global Physical Activity Questionnaire (GPAQ) and the associations between both total and domain-specific physical activity with cardiovascular risk factors in a population-based Vietnamese sample. Participants (n = 1978) were 25- to 64-year-old adults selected by stratified multistage sampling. Leisure activity contributed to <5% of total moderate and vigorous activity and was not associated with cardiovascular risk factors. Total moderate and vigorous activity was associated with body composition (r = -0.16 to -0.22; P < .001), blood glucose (r = -0.07; P < .05), and total cholesterol (r = -0.17; P < .001) for men and with total cholesterol (r = -0.07; P < .05) for women after adjusting for age. Further adjustment for smoking and alcohol intake made negligible changes. These associations were largely driven by work activity, which accounted for 80% of total activity.

A strong association between blood pressure (BP) and body mass index (BMI) has been observed in developed and developing countries. Whether there are differences in these associations between Caucasians and Asians remains unknown. Our objective was to compare the associations of BP with fatness measures in the Caucasian and Asian samples. The study used data from two population-based cross-sectional studies conducted using similar methodology: a survey in Australia in 1998-1999 (n¼832 adults aged 25-64 years; 47% male) and a survey in Vietnam in 2005 (n¼1978 adults aged 25-64 years; 46% male). Participants completed questionnaires and attended clinics for physical measurements including BP and anthropometry. Linear regression was used for analysis. Independent of age, there were strong associations between BP indices and BMI in each sample, but the patterns of associations were different. Among Caucasians, pulse pressure (PP) increased with increasing BMI because the slope of systolic pressure with BMI exceeded the slope of diastolic pressure with BMI (Po0.001 for both sexes). In contrast, among Asians, PP decreased with increasing BMI. Associations between BMI and BP are different between Caucasian and Asian populations. Among Asians, the stronger association of increasing BMI and diastolic BP, but not PP, suggests a different pathophysiology related to hypertension.