Risk of Cardiovascular diseases and its association with life style and diet

Hatim Haider Ali

Assistant Professor
Dow University of Health Sciences
Hatimhaider43@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

Background of study:
Dietary habits and lifestyle behaviors may influence the progression of cardiovascular diseases by
the upsurge of various risk factors including intake of an unhealthy diet, physical inactivity or
sedentary lifestyle, smoking, and obesity. These modifiable risk factors of cardiovascular diseases
considerably increase the morbidity and mortality ratio throughout the world.
Goal of Study:
The objective of the study was to find out the association of dietary habits and lifestyle behaviors
with cardiovascular diseases risk factors.
Methods:
It is a cross-sectional study conducted from February 2019 until May 2019. A total of 200
cardiovascular disease patients between the age ranges of 31 to 80 years were selected from
different health care centers of Karachi, Pakistan. Data related to age, gender, demographic
characteristics, clinical history, dietary habits, lifestyle behaviors, smoking were collected with the
help of a questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements like height, weight, BMI, waist
circumference and biochemical parameters like fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol,
triglycerides, HDL-C, and LDL-C were analyzed by standardized methods. Data was analyzed by
means of SPSS software version 20. Results having p-value < 0.05 were considered as statistically
significant.
Results: The result shows that 30.5% of patients have suffered from CVD between the age range
of 61 – 70 years. Most of the patients were non-smokers (60.5%) among them females were higher
than males, whereas 18.5% were chain smokers’ males are dominant ((12.5%) than females (6%.)
The The intake of fast food and red meat is significantly associated (p < 0.05) with cardiovascular
disease patients. BMI (> 30 Kg/m²), increased waist circumference (greater than 90 cm in male
and greater than 80 cm in female), increased systolic blood pressure (more than 130 mmHg), high
level of fasting blood glucose (>100 mg/dl), raised level of triglyceride (>150 mg/dl), and reduced
HDL – Cholesterol are significantly associated (p < 0.05) with both male and female in
cardiovascular disease patients. Multiple regression analysis showed that dietary habits (Model I)
are significantly associated (p < 0.05) with waist circumference (cm), systolic blood pressure
(mmHg), diastolic blood pressure (mmHg), fasting blood glucose (mg/dl), and LDL-C (mg/dl).
Lifestyle behaviors (Model II) i.e., physical activity and sedentary lifestyle had no significant
difference (p > 0.05) with any risk factor of cardiovascular diseases.
Conclusion: Dietary habits are significantly associated with cardiovascular risk factors than
lifestyle behaviors. Therefore, it is recommended that modifying dietary habits like consuming
healthy diet and concentrating on additional preventive procedures minimize the complications of
cardiovascular diseases and other metabolic diseases.
Key Words: Cardiovascular Diseases, Dietary habits, Life Style Behaviors, Risk Factors.