TITLE:
Hypertension, diabetes mellitus, overweight and obesity in employees under health transition at the railways company in Congo-Brazzaville
AUTHORS:
Bertrand Fikahem Ellenga Mbolla, Thierry Raoul Alexis Gombet, Henri Germain Monabeka, Paul Macaire Ossou-Nguiet, Solange Flore Mongo-Ngamami, Christian Michel Kouala Landa, Suzy-Gisèle Kimbally-Kaky, Benjamin Longo-Mbenza
KEYWORDS:
Hypertension; Diabetes Mellitus; Overweight; Obesity; Workplace; Congo; Sub-Saharan Africa
JOURNAL NAME:
World Journal of Cardiovascular Diseases,
Vol.4 No.2,
February
13,
2014
ABSTRACT: Background and
Aim: Cardiovascular risk (CVR) factors, namely hypertension (HT), diabetes mellitus
and obesity, are a public health problem in sub-Saharan Africa because of health
transition. The additional effect of the social gradient within the railway companies
in Congo-Brazzaville on high CVR is not yet established. The aim of this study was
to determine the extent of hypertension, diabetes mellitus, overweight, and obesity
and to identify the contributing factors of fatness and hypertension. Methods: This
was a cross-sectional study conducted in April 2013. A simple random sample of 255
out of all 2550 workers from the railway companies of Congo was examined for epidemiological,
clinical and biological variables. Results: Out of the study sample, 231 (90.6%),
79 (31%), and 52 (20.4%) were men, rural dwellers,
and senior executives, respectively. The mean age was 45 ± 13 years (range
19 to 63 years). The rates of overweight, hypertension, obesity, and diabetes mellitus
were 40.3% (n = 103), 29.4% (n = 75), 7.5% (n = 19), and 3.5% (n = 9), respectively.
In univariate analysis, female sex (OR 2.7, 95% CI 1.13 - 6.45, p = 0.01), senior executive (OR 2.4; 95% CI:
1.3 - 4.5; p = 0.003) and physical inactivity (OR 2.5; 95% CI: 1.5 - 4.2;
p 21; p CI:
1.2 - 8.3) were also significantly
associated with obesity. In logistic regression, overweight (OR = 4.8, 95% CI 2.8
- 11, p