The Incidence of Hypertension and Obesity among Market Women of Child Bearing Age

Abstract

Obesity and hypertension are risk factors to a spectrum of cardiovascular diseases. The incidence of hypertension and obesity were assessed among market women of child bearing age. A total of 500 market women were randomly selected from different market site in southwest, Nigeria. Semi-structured questionnaire was used for the data collection, Respondent's Nutritional status was assessed using anthropometric indices and sphygmomanometer was used to assess blood pressure. Findings showed that the mean waist circumference, hip circumference, BMI and waist hip ratio of the women were 85.08 ± 16.09, 101.3 ± 17.12, 29.91 ± 7.16 and 0.84 ± 0.10 respectively. Respondents that were overweight was 21% while 48% were obese. About 13% had low grade hypertension while 6% were moderately hypertensive. There was significance relationship at p<0.05 between nutritional status and waist hip ratio, BMI, and blood pressure of the market women. Effort should be made by all stakeholders in ensuring health education and over nutrition and hypertension among women.