Obesity and hypertension in diabetic Nigerians

Over a 9 months period, 675 old and new diabetic patients were examined in the medical outpatient department of the University College Hospital, Ibadan, to ascertain the prevalence of and relationship between hypertension and obesity. For the purpose of the study, the criterion for hypertension was diastolic blood pressure of 95 mmHg and above on three or more occasions, that for obesity was a body mass index of 28 and above. Of the 675 patients, 79 (11.7%) were obese hypertensives, 102 (15.1%) were non-obese hypertensives, 116 (17.2%) were obese normotensives and 378 (56%), non-obese normotensives. The total number of hypertensives was 181 (26.8%) and of obese patients, 195 (28.9%). A significant association between obesity and hypertension was found among the diabetic patients. The association was such that we feel greater efforts are required to curtail the growing number of obese and hypertensive diabetic patients. This is to combat the present trend of cultural and dietary changes in many African communities, tending to produce more overweight, hypertensive and diabetic problems.