A cross-sectional study design was carried out in the outpatient Department of General Medicine, Vydehi Institute of Medical Science and Research Centre, Bangalore city in India. The study was conducted for a period of 2 months from November 2023 to December 2023. All Patients aged 30 years and above, who attended the Outpatient department of General Medicine were enrolled in the study

Blood pressure was measured in sitting position, 2 readings were taken 5 min apart. Average of 2 readings was considered. BP was measured using Dial BP apparatus. Height was measured by Stadiometer, maintaining the Frankfort plane. Height was measured in centimeter. Weight was measured using weighing machine, patient was asked to stand still, face forward, place arms on the side and weight was recorded in kilograms. BMI was calculated by formula: weight (kg)/height (m²). Waist circumference was measured by non-stretchable fibre measuring tape. With the arms relaxed at the sides, under the midline of the participant’s armpit, at the midpoint between the lower part of the last rib and the top of the hip. 6 Health awareness regarding hypertension and obesity was delivered to the patients. Patients who were detected with high blood pressure, were given appropriate referral. Classification of hypertension was based on Joint National Committee 8 (JNC 8) classification. 7 Obesity was classified based on WHO Asia-Pacific classification for obesity. 8

Total of 239 study participants were enrolled in the study. Median age of the study participant was 42 years(52, 36). Majority of study participants belonged to the age category of 30-39 years and 40-49 years age group. Females (55.2%) were slightly more than males. Majority of them were sedentary workers (78.7%). Socioeconomic status was classified according to the modified B.G Prasad classification (2023) (Table 1).

Majority of the participants were non-smokers (80.3%), followed by current smokers (at least since a month) (13%) and smoked in the past (6.7%). Majority of the study participants did not consume alcohol (89.5%). Majority of the study participants did not have family history of Hypertension (74.5%), Diabetes (77%) and Coronary artery disease (90.4%).

Average blood pressure of the study participants was following, systolic BP was124.8 (±19.98) and diastolic BP was 77(±11.53). Almost one third of the study participants were screened to be having hypertension (27.6%). More than half of the study participants belonged to the category of overweight according to BMI (64.4%). Majority of the study participants were obese according to waist circumference (Male-81.3%, Female-74.2%) (Table 2).

Factors such as presence of hypertension, moderate work, education till primary and high school education had higher odds of having obesity (Table 3). While male gender was a protective factor for obesity. Statistical significant association was not found between hypertension and independent factors.

This study was conducted among 239 patients attending medical OPD for various reasons. Patients 30 and above with no history of hypertension were recruited in the study. Hypertension was seen among 27.6% of the study participants. Other study reported the prevalence of hypertension to be 17%, 17.9%, 21.5%, while another study reported it to be 41.3%. 5, 9, 10, 11 Hypertension is a risk factor for cardiovascular diseases. The presence of this health condition may go unnoticed for long years, while opportunistic screening is simple, yet efficient method for screening hypertension. Patients attending for any medical ailments, blood pressure should be mandatorily be checked without missing a single patient.

More than half of the study participants belonged to the category of overweight according to BMI (64.4%) and majority of them fall into obese category according to waist circumference (Male-81.3%, Female-74.2%). The prevalence of obesity is found to be high in the present study. This study used WHO Asia pacific classification, which has lower cut-off value for Asians compared to standard WHO classification for obesity. A study reported that 46.1% hypertensive participants had generalized obesity, while prehypertensive and normotensive participants, 36.9% and 21.5% had obesity. 10 However another study reported that BMI was ≥ 25 in 18 % and ≥ 30 in 3.2% men and women, prevalence is lower compared to the present study.12 Obesity is a risk factors for several disease like Cardiovascular diseases, Diabetes, Cancer, Dementia, etc. It is important to screen all the patients attending health care facility for obesity and educate the patients about the health problem that may potentially arise due to obesity.

Presence of hypertension, moderate work, education till primary school and high school was found to be associated with Obesity. While male gender was a protective factor. A study reported that prevalence of abdominal obesity in Indians according to NFHS-5 was 40% in women and 12% in men. 13 Obesity is a major risk factor for essential hypertension. 14 Conversely obesity and hypertension, both are independent risk factors for cardiovascular diseases. Lower physical activity due to sedentary lifestyle is associated with obesity, while the present study found that moderate work was found to be associated with obesity. 15 A study reported that lower education level (Primary school) is 1.5 times more associated with obesity, similar to the present study. 16

Hypertension was seen among 27.6% of the study participants. More than half of the study participants were overweight and majority of them were obese according to BMI and waist circumference. Opportunistic screening is a simple and yet efficient method for screening patients for Hypertension and Obesity. Management of these two important risk factors at early stage will help in preventing cardiovascular events among the patients in the future.

We would like to acknowledge Vydehi Institute of Medical Sciences and Research Centre for Institutional support in conduct of study and K. Chaithra for helping in statistical analysis.