Experts, in a new study, said that physical inactivity is the leading risk factor for hypertension, with aggravated odds of hypertension among apparently older adults in Nigeria.
In the study, the researchers found that the odds of hypertension was eleven times higher among physically inactive patients compared with those who reported some forms of physical activities
This study had identified the factors associated with hypertension among 4,267 community‐dwelling stroke‐free population in Ghana and Nigeria in the Stroke Investigative Research and Education Network (SIREN) study.
It was a multi-centre study that recruited population‐based adults above 18 years as stroke‐free controls from different localities in Nigeria and Ghana. Controls were adults above 18 years, matched to stroke patients for age, sex, and ethnicity.
The researchers found overall, 56.7 per cent of the community‐dwelling healthy population of these West African countries, verified to have matching characteristics with stroke patients were hypertensive with a higher proportion among respondents aged above 60 years (53.0 per cent).
The 2021 study on factors associated with hypertension among stroke‐free indigenous Africans: The SIREN was in The Journal of Clinical Hypertension.
Stratifying hypertension prevalence by age group, showed a progressive increase in the prevalence of hypertension among the stroke-free controls from 0.3 per cent among participants older than 25 years to 36.6 per cent among older adults that are less than 65 years.
A country‐specific comparison of hypertensives revealed hypertensives from the Ghanaian sample were significantly older than their Nigerian counterpart. Also, the proportion of hypertensives with high‐income (>$100/month) was significantly higher among Ghanaians compared with Nigerians.
The proportion of hypertensives with some education was significantly higher among the Ghanaian sample than the Nigerian sample. Also, the prevalence of physical inactivity was significantly higher among hypertensive from Ghana (5.6 per cent) compared with those from Nigeria (1.0 per cent).
Overall, the prevalence of hypertension was significantly higher among women than men and older adults compared with young adults. Also, hypertension prevalence was among urban residents compared with rural dwellers.
They, however, said that the region of residence and physical inactivity were unrelated to hypertension among patients older than 60 years but hypertension significantly prevalent among high‐income earners compared with low‐income earners.
According to them, lifestyle factors such as physical inactivity, diabetes, being above 60 years and family history of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) were associated with increased risk for hypertension in these individuals in West Africa. Physical inactivity was defined as having a moderate‐intensity physical activity level of fewer than 30 minutes per day.
They, therefore, called for community‐oriented interventions to address sedentary lifestyles that may benefit this population and reduce the risk of hypertension and the probability of stroke among this group of Africans.
YOU SHOULD NOT MISS THESE HEADLINES FROM NIGERIAN TRIBUNE
We Have Not Had Water Supply In Months ― Abeokuta Residents
In spite of the huge investment in the water sector by the government and international organisations, water scarcity has grown to become a perennial nightmare for residents of Abeokuta, the Ogun State capital. This report x-rays the lives and experiences of residents in getting clean, potable and affordable water amidst the surge of COVID-19 cases in the state.