Cardiometabolic Risk in a University Community: An Observational Study

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Cardiology
• Occupational Health

Background:

• Cardiovascular risk factors like obesity, sedentary lifestyle, and high blood pressure are linked to workload and stress.
• Understanding cardiometabolic risk and lifestyle factors in university populations is crucial for targeted health interventions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze cardiometabolic risk and lifestyle habits among health sciences academics and campus administrators at a Spanish private university.
• To identify specific risk factors and disparities between genders and professional roles within the university community.

Main Methods:

• A cross-sectional study involving 101 university personnel (61.4% women, mean age 41.3 years).
• Data collection included questionnaires on sociodemographics, health history, diet (Mediterranean diet adherence), physical activity, stress, and anthropometric/analytical measurements.
• Cardiovascular risk was assessed using relative, absolute, and vascular age categories.

Main Results:

• Smoking prevalence was 21.8%, 27.7% were sedentary, and 51.0% adhered to the Mediterranean diet.
• Hypertension was more prevalent in men (15.4%) than women (3.2%), with higher Grade 1 hypertension among academics and men.
• Absolute cardiovascular risk was generally low, though men showed a more moderate risk profile than women.

Conclusions:

• While overall cardiometabolic risk is low, specific groups like men and academics exhibit higher hypertension rates.
• The university environment presents opportunities for health promotion, with the Nursing Department ideally positioned for leadership.
• Targeted health programs are recommended to address identified lifestyle factors and cardiovascular risk within the university community.