Identification of Responsible Variables for Obesity Hypertension among Bangladeshi Adults

The results presented here were derived using the data collected from 960 adults of Bangladesh. These adults were of ages 18 years and above and they were the residents of both urban and rural localities. Out of 960 respondents, 86 were found obese and hypertensive. The objective of the study was to detect the influencing socioeconomic factors for obesity and hypertension and to identify the most responsible variable for this health hazard. It was evident that sex, occupation, sedentary activity and marital differential, were the significant social determinants for the prevalence of obesity and hypertension simultaneously. The problem of this health hazard was more likely to develop in subjects like non-Muslim, female, adult of ages 40 -50 years, illiterate , rich, higher expenditure group of families, and physically inactive compared to subjects with other levels of these socioeconomic variables. Factor analysis was done to identify the most responsible variables for the prevalence of obesity hypertension in adults. The analysis indicated that sedentary activity was the most responsible factor for this health problem followed by age, duration of disease, being married and physical inactivity.

Keywords: Obesity, Hypertension, Association, Coefficient of association, Odds ratio (O.R.), Standard error of ln (O.R.), Factor analysis.