Prevalence and socioeconomic differences of risk factors of cardiovascular disease in E cuadorian adolescents

• Published in: Pediatric obesity Vol. 7; no. 4; pp. 274 - 283
• Main Authors: Ochoa‐Avilés, A., Andrade, S., Huynh, T., Verstraeten, R., Lachat, C., Rojas, R., Donoso, S., Manuel‐y‐Keenoy, B., Kolsteren, P.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01-08-2012
• ISSN: 2047-6302; 2047-6310
• DOI: 10.1111/j.2047-6310.2012.00061.x

Summary
Purpose
The aim of this paper is to report the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and socioeconomic differences in school‐going
E
cuadorian adolescents.
Methods
A cross‐sectional study was performed from
J
anuary 2008 until
A
pril 2009 in 770 adolescents aged 10 to 16 years old, who attend secondary schools in an urban (Cuenca), and rural area (
N
abón) in
E
cuador. Data collected for the overall sample included anthropometric variables (weight, height and waist circumference), blood pressure and socio‐demographic characteristics. Fasting blood glucose and lipid profile determinations were collected in a subsample of 334 adolescents.
Results
The most prevalent cardiovascular risk factors were dyslipidemia (34.2%), abdominal obesity (19.7%) and overweight (18.0%). The prevalence of the remaining cardiovascular risk factors were high levels of blood pressure (6.2%) and obesity (2.1%). Boys were 3.3 times (
P
 < 0.001) more likely to have risk levels of blood pressure. Compared to their peers from lower socioeconomic groups, children from better off socioeconomic strata were 1.5 times (
P
 = 0.048) more likely to be overweight/obese and 1.5 times (
P
 = 0.046) more likely to have abdominal obesity. Overweight and obese children were 4.4 times more likely to have dyslipidemia (
P
 < 0.001). Children living in the rural area were 2.8 times (
P
 = 0.002) more likely to have dyslipidemia than those from the urban area.
Conclusions
Our results demonstrate the advanced levels of the nutrition transition in this
E
cuadorian adolescent population. Primary health care should monitor and take actions to address this public health problem in adolescents.