Table 1.
Distribution and characteristics of the study population
| Characteristic | Total sample (n = 135) |
Males (n = 56) |
Females (n = 79) |
P-value |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Socio-demographic | ||||
| Age, years (median, IQR) | 38 (29) | 35 (29.5) | 39 (28) | 0.345 |
| Number years education | ||||
| No education: n (%) | 6 (4.4) | 2 (3.6) | 4 (5.1) | 0.087 |
| 1-6 years: n (%) | 6 (4.4) | 5 (8.9) | 1 (1.3) | |
| 7-12 years: n (%) | 77 (57.0) | 27 (48.2) | 50 (63.3) | |
| > 12 years: n (%) | 46 (34.1) | 22 (39.3) | 24 (30.4) | |
| Anthropometry | ||||
| Height, cm | 164.7 ± 9.6 | 170.6 ± 7.3 | 160.5 ± 8.8 | < 0.001* |
| Waist circumference, cm | 91.0 ± 18.0 | 86.1 ± 19.9 | 94.4 ± 15.8 | 0.008* |
| Waist-to-height-ratio | 0.56 ± 0.12 | 0.50 ± 0.11 | 0.59 ± 0.11 | < 0.001* |
| Central obesity (WHtR > 0.5)#: n (%) | 84 (62.2) | 20 (35.7) | 64 (81.0) | < 0.001* |
| Systolic blood pressure, mmHg | 124 ± 16 | 123 ± 13 | 124 ± 18 | 0.711 |
| Diastolic blood pressure, mmHg | 84 ± 10 | 82 ± 10 | 85 ± 11 | 0.078 |
| Hypertension status: n (%) | 39 (32.0) | 12 (27.9) | 27 (34.2) | 0.198 |
| Normotensive | 66 (48.9) | 29 (51.8) | 37 (46.8) | 0.198 |
| Elevated blood pressure | 20 (14.8) | 11 (19.6) | 9 (11.4) | |
| Hypertensive | 49 (36.3) | 16 (28.6) | 33 (41.8) | |
| Self-reported medical history | ||||
| Hypertension prior diagnosis*: n (%) | 15 (11.1) | 5 (7.1) | 11 (13.9) | 0.217 |
| Diabetes mellitus: n (%) | 5 (3.9) | 0 (0) | 5 (6.3) | - |
| Previous heart attack: n (%) | 2 (1.5) | 2 (3.6) | 0 (0) | - |
| Previous stroke: n (%) | 2 (1.5) | 1 (1.8) | 1 (1.3) | - |
| Previous COVID-19 positive: n (%) | 6 (4.5) | 3 (5.5) | 3 (5.5) | 0.66 |
| COVID-19 vaccinated: n (%) | 42 (31.1) | 14 (25.0) | 28 (35.4) | 0.258 |
| Behavioural health factors | ||||
| Tobacco use: n (%) | ||||
| Current use | 46 (34.1) | 31 (55.4) | 15 (19.0) | < 0.001* |
| Past use | 21 (15.6) | 8 (14.3) | 13 (16.5) | |
| Never used | 68 (50.4) | 17 (30.4) | 51 (64.6) | |
| Alcohol consumption: n (%) | ||||
| Daily | 1 (0.7) | 1 (1.8) | 0 | 0.076 |
| 1-6 times per week | 27 (20.1) | 15 (26.8) | 12 (15.4) | |
| 1-3 times per month | 50 (37.3) | 23 (41.1) | 27 (34.6) | |
| Never/rarely | 56 (41.8) | 17 (30.4) | 39 (50.0) | |
| Physical activity less than 150 min/week: n (%) | 75 (55.6) | 26 (46.4) | 49 (62.0) | 0.072 |
| Last BP check: n (%) | ||||
| Never | 29 (21.5) | 19 (33.9) | 10 (12.7) | 0.007 |
| Over 12 months ago | 30 (22.2) | 13 (23.2) | 17 (21.5) | |
| Within the last 12 months | 76 (56.3) | 24 (42.9) | 52 (65.8) | |
BP, blood pressure; cm: centimeter; IQR, interquartile range; WHtR, waist-to-hip ration
* = statistically significant