BackgroundCardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the leading cause of death worldwide. Knowledge
about cardiovascular risk factors (CVRFs) in young adults and their modification
over time are measures that change the risks and prevent CVDs.ObjectivesTo determine the presence of CVRFs and their changes in different health care
professionals over a period of 20 years.MethodsAll students of medicine, nursing, nutrition, odontology, and pharmacy departments
of Federal University of Goiás who agreed to participate in this study were
evaluated when they started their degree courses and 20 years afterward.
Questionnaires on CVRFs [systemic arterial hypertension (SAH), diabetes mellitus,
dyslipidemia, and family history of early CVD, smoking, alcohol consumption, and
sedentarism] were administered. Cholesterol levels, blood sugar levels, blood
pressure, weight, height, and body mass index were determined. The
Kolmogorov-Smirnov test was used to evaluate distribution, the chi-square test was
used to compare different courses and sexes, and the McNemar test was used for
comparing CVRFs. The significance level was set at a p value of < 0.05.ResultsThe first stage of the study included 281 individuals (91% of all the students),
of which 62.9% were women; the mean age was 19.7 years. In the second stage, 215
subjects were reassessed (76% of the initial sample), of which 59.07% were women;
the mean age was 39.8 years. The sample mostly consisted of medical students (with
a predominance of men), followed by nursing, nutrition, and pharmacy students,
with a predominance of women (p < 0.05). Excessive weight gain, SAH, and
dyslipidemia were observed among physicians and dentists (p < 0.05). Excessive
weight gain and SAH and a reduction in sedentarism (p < 0.05) were observed
among pharmacists. Among nurses there was an increase in excessive weight and
alcohol consumption (p < 0.05). Finally, nutritionists showed an increase in
dyslipidemia (p < 0.05).ConclusionIn general, there was an unfavorable progression of CVRFs in the population under
study, despite it having adequate specialized knowledge about these risk
factors.