Somatotype and Cardiovascular Diseases Risk Factors Among Government Employees In Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia

Abstract

Aim: This cross-sectional study was conducted to determine the body somatotype and risk factors for cardiovascular diseases among government employees from Kuala Terengganu, Malaysia. Methods: In this research, 308 government employees were recruited as respondents. Body somatotype was determined using the Heath and Carter (1990) method. The risk factors for cardiovascular diseases were determined by measuring fasting blood glucose, total cholesterol (TC), LDL-cholesterol level, HDL cholesterol level and triglycerides level. Results: Majority of the respondents were categorized as endomorphy (84.7%), followed by mesomorphy (11.7%) and ectomorphy (3.6%). Means of fasting blood cholesterol level, triglycerides, HDL and LDL cholesterol among respondents were 5.57 mmol/L, 1.55 mmol/L, 1.25 mmol/L and 3.63 mmol/L, respectively. The fasting blood glucose of respondents was in the normal range (5.02 mmol/L), while cholesterol, triglycerides and LDL cholesterol were on borderline high. Mean HDL level of respondents were below desirable level. Conclusion: We found that there were significant correlation between ectomorphy components with blood cholesterol, LDL, HDL and blood glucose level; mesomorphy with LDL cholesterol level; and endomorphy with HDL and blood glucose level among respondents (p<0.05). As a conclusion, this study has provided useful insights towards the relationship between somatotype components and risk factors of cardiovascular diseases.