Prevalence of Cardiovascular Risk Factors in Apparently Healthy Urban Adult Population of Kathmandu

Om Murti Anil1, Randhir Sagar Yadav2, Nitesh Shrestha2

  • 1Grande International Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal.

Insights

Cardiovascular risk factors like dyslipidemia, poor diet, inactivity, and obesity are highly prevalent in Kathmandu Valley adults. Early detection and preventive strategies are crucial for public health.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Cardiology
  • Epidemiology

Background:

  • Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are a leading cause of death and disability globally.
  • Major CVD risk factors contribute to approximately 75% of all CVD cases.
  • An increasing prevalence of CVD risk factors is observed in young, urban adult populations.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To determine the prevalence of major cardiovascular risk factors in the apparently healthy adult population of Kathmandu Valley.
  • To provide data for implementing targeted preventive strategies against cardiovascular diseases.

Main Methods:

  • A large-scale, free heart camp was conducted with extensive public outreach via multiple media channels.
  • Standardized data collection tools and calibrated devices were used by trained personnel.
  • Data included demographics, anthropometrics, physical examinations, and blood investigations, analyzed using SPSS V20.

Main Results:

  • 5530 participants (mean age 38.14±13.03 years; 59.6% male) were enrolled.
  • High prevalence rates were observed for: unhealthy diet (75.4%), low physical activity (61.1%), overweight/obesity (41.3%), tobacco use (29.3%), alcohol consumption (32.7%), hypertension (26.4%), diabetes (5.3%), and dyslipidemia (86.9%).
  • Prevalence varied significantly by age and sex.

Conclusions:

  • The study reveals a high prevalence of major cardiovascular risk factors among apparently healthy adults in Kathmandu Valley.
  • Dyslipidemia, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and overweight/obesity are the most significant risk factors identified.
  • Findings underscore the urgent need for public health interventions and preventive measures.
Abstract

Related Concept Videos

Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection01:26

Factors Affecting the Risk of Infection

The hosts' susceptibility to infection depends on several factors. The integrity of the skin and mucous membranes helps protect the body against microbial attacks. When the skin is altered, the chance of infection, limb loss, and even death increases.
The integrity and count of the white blood cells help the body resist pathogens and fight infection. When impaired, it reduces the body's resistance to pathogens. The acidic pH levels of the gastrointestinal, genitourinary tracts, and skin...
13.5K
Prevalence and Incidence01:08

Prevalence and Incidence

In statistical epidemiology and health sciences, two essential metrics—prevalence and incidence—are fundamental for understanding disease dynamics within a population. These measures enable public health officials, epidemiologists, and researchers to assess the burden of diseases, allocate resources effectively, and design impactful public health policies and interventions.
Prevalence indicates the proportion of individuals in a population who have a specific disease or health...
1.8K
Conservation of Small Populations02:04

Conservation of Small Populations

Small population sizes put a species at extreme risk of extinction due to a lack of variation, and a consequent decrease in adaptability. This weakens the chances of survival under pressures such as climate change, competition from other species, or new diseases. Large populations are more likely to survive pressures such as these, as such populations are more likely to harbor individuals that have genetic variants that are adaptive under new stresses. Small populations are much less...
17.1K
Population Growth00:57

Population Growth

Population size is dynamic, increasing with birth rates and immigration, and decreasing with death rates and emigration. In ideal conditions with unlimited resources, populations can increase exponentially, which plots as a J-shaped growth rate curve of population size against time. This type of curve is characteristic of newly-introduced invasive species, or populations that have suffered catastrophic declines and are rebounding.
28.4K
What is Population Genetics?01:25

What is Population Genetics?

A population is composed of members of the same species that simultaneously live and interact in the same area. When individuals in a population breed, they pass down their genes to their offspring. Many of these genes are polymorphic, meaning that they occur in multiple variants. Such variations of a gene are referred to as alleles. The collective set of all the alleles within a population is known as the gene pool.
64.7K
Relative Risk01:12

Relative Risk

Relative risk (RR) is a statistical measure commonly used in epidemiology to compare the likelihood of a particular event occurring between two groups. This metric is important for evaluating the relationship between exposure to a specific risk factor and the probability of a particular outcome. It plays a crucial role in medical research, public health studies, and risk assessment. Relative risk quantifies how much more (or less) likely an event is to occur in an exposed group compared to an...
2.1K