Status of cardiovascular health in the Republic of Serbia: Results from the National Health Survey

BACKGROUND: Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) remain the most significant cause of death in low- and middle-income countries where the burden of CVD continues to rise due to the increasing incidence of CVD. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of ideal cardiovascular health (CVH) across sex and age groups and to analyze associations between demographic and socio-economic variables and ideal CVH metrics in the adult population of the Republic of Serbia. METHODS: Information on demographic (age, sex, marital status, and type of settlement) and socio-economic characteristics (education, and wealth index), and the 7 ideal CVH metrics (smoking, physical activity, healthy diet, BMI, blood pressure, cholesterol, and glucose) was obtained for 13100 respondents aged 20 years and above, from the 2013 National Health Survey in the Republic of Serbia. According to the American Heart Association, the ideal CVH was defined as the simultaneous presence of 7 ideal CVH metrics. RESULTS: Out of all ideal CVH metrics, the most prevalent components were ideal glucose (92.2%), ideal cholesterol (86.4%) and ideal smoking (63%), while the least prevalent ideal CVH component was ideal healthy diet (2.4%). Only 0.1% had all 7 CVH components at the ideal level. According to the multivariable logistic regression analysis the higher number of ideal CVH metrics was observed in women (OR = 4.46), younger people (OR = 7.12), people living without partner (OR = 1.70), more educated (OR = 2.51 for middle educated and OR = 3.57 for high educated), as well as among the rich (OR = 1.43). CONCLUSION: Our findings of existing age-specific, sex and socio-economic differences in the prevalence and number of ideal CVH metrics should serve for the development of appropriate CVD prevention policies tailored to fit specific needs of both sexes, all age groups and people with different socioeconomic status.