Abstract

MENECIER, Natalia  and  LOMAGLIO, Delia Beatriz. Hypertension, over weight and abdominal obesity, in adult women from the Puna of Catamarca, Argentina. Rev Arg Antrop Biol [online]. 2021, vol.23, n.2, 040.  Epub July 14, 2021. ISSN 1514-7991.  http://dx.doi.org/10.24215/18536387e040.

Hypertension, together with obesity, are known growing risk factors for the development of chronic diseases, such as metabolic syndrome, among others. There are few data on South American high-altitude populations. The objective was to analyze the prevalence of excess weight, abdominal obesity, and arterial hypertension in adult women, permanent residents of the Puna of Catamarca, Argentina One hundred and five adults of the female sex were analyzed, from the towns of Antofagasta de la Sierra and of El Peñón, in Antofagasta de la Sierra, Catamarca. Weight, height, waist circumference and systolic (SBP) and diastolic (DBP) blood pressure measurements were obtained. Body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were calculated. Overweight prevalence was 38,1 %, obesity 17,1 %, and abdominal obesity 84 %. The prevalence of arterial hypertension was 16,2 %. There is a positive correlation between BMI and SBP, and between age and DBP. SBP values were significantly higher in women with obesity, compared to those with normal weight. There were no differences in DBP according to the nutritional status categories. In turn, in normal-weight women, no differences were observed in SBP and DBP values in the presence or absence of abdominal obesity. The difference between arterial hypertension in the presence of excess weight and abdominal obesity is not significant, nor does it differ in normal-weight women with and without abdominal obesity. Conclusion: The adult women analyzed here presented a high prevalence of excess weight compatible in a context of nutritional transition. In turn, 9 out of 10 women presented abdominal obesity, together with a low prevalence of unrelated arterial hypertension. An association was found only between arterial hypertension and obesity.

Keywords : obesity; adult; body mass index; waist circumference.

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