Blood pressure, serum cholesterol concentration and their related factors in urban and rural elderly of Ho Chi Minh City

In Vietnam, information about blood pressure, serum lipids and their factor s is limited. To obtain some of this information, a cross sectional nutriti on survey was carried out in an urban and rural area of Ho Chi Minh City wi th 217 participants aged 60-69 y (148 females and 69 males). Anthropometry and blood pressure were measured. For three consecutive weekdays, 24 h diet ary recalls were performed. Single 24 h urine was collected for sodium and potassium analysis. A fasting blood sample was taken and biochemical parame ters were measured. Results indicate a high percentage of hypertension in u rban (female: 35.5%, male: 43.8%) and rural areas (female: 22.2%, male: 35. 1%). Blood pressure was correlated with body mass index (BMI) and 24 h urin ary sodium-to-potassium (Na/K) ratio. A high prevalence of serum total chol esterol (TC) above 220 mg/dL (female: 55.3%, male: 31.3%) and overweight (f emale: 34.2%, male: 25.0%) were observed in urban residents. By contrast, 5 .6% and 24.3% of rural females and males respectively had TC below 150 mg/d L and both genders had the same prevalence of underweight (32.4%), TC was p ositively correlated with body weight, BMI, dietary protein and dietary lip ids. Overweight might be a major risk factor for hypertension in our urban elderly. A high Na/K intake ratio might be a risk factor for hypertension i n both areas. The high prevalence of elevated TC in the urban area might to be related to the high lipid intake, and the high prevalence of low TC in the rural area might to be related to the low lipid intake.