A community-based study on modifiable risk factors of hypertension among Adults of rural Bengal, India

Background: Chronic noncommunicable diseases such as hypertension (HTN) are emerging as a major health problem in India with increasing prevalence significantly in both urban and rural population. This is largely due to preventable and modifiable risk factors such as physical inactivity, unhealthy diet, obesity, tobacco, and inappropriate use of alcohol. Objectives: This study aimed to find the prevalence and risk factors of HTN and its association with HTN among the study population, if any. Materials and Methods: A community-based study was conducted among 651 adults (age 20 years and above) in rural communities of Singur, West Bengal. Blood pressure measurement and information regarding sociodemography, behavioral risk factors, and family history of HTN were collected using a predesigned pretested schedule. Data were presented in appropriate tables, and the significance of association was analyzed with P < 0.05 as statistically significant; all statistical analysis was done in SPSS version 19.0. Results: The overall prevalence of HTN was 26.1% (male: 21.8% and female: 29.9%). The prevalence increased with increase in age group. Muslim religion, less education, tobacco usage, obesity, and sedentary lifestyles were found to be significantly associated with HTN. The association between different modifiable risk factors with HTN was found statistically significant (P < 0.05). Conclusion: The prevalence of HTN in the rural population was found to be on the higher side compared to previous reports from India. The modifiable risk factors of HTN in rural communities were found to be increased indicating implementation of strong public health measures to combat HTN and its consequences.