1988 Volume 54 Issue 2 Pages 83-91
To assess the significance of overweight, past or family history and drinking or smoking habits as the causal factors for development of hypertension, and to obtain any guiding principle in the control of hypertension, a survey of blood pressure was carried out on a community sample of men and women in Aira-town, Kagoshima prefecture during the year 1984. Total of 2291 persons were covered in this survey, comprising 1043 men and 1984 women aged 40 years and above. The followings are the main findings in this study. 1) Mean values of sytolic and diastolic blood pressure increased with advancing age for both sexes. The prevalence rate of hypertensives was also increased with advancing age for both sexes. In addition, the prevalence rate of hypertensives was significantly higher in men than in women when the comparison was made taking the age-composition into account. 2) When the subjects were classified into two groups, obese and non-obese groups according to the obese index calculated by Katsura's formula, the blood pressure level and the prevalence rate of hypertensives were higher in obese group than in non-obese group for both sexes. 3) Subjects who had a past history of hypertension or cerebral apoplexy had higher mean blood pressure value and substantially higher prevalence of hypertensives as compared with those who had not. 4) Subjects who's parents or siblings had a history of hypertension or cerebral apoplexy also showed higher value of blood pressure level and higher prevalence rate of hypertensives for both sexes. 5) No significant associations of drinking or smoking habits with blood pressure values were obtained after controlling for age and body build. 6) From the above, it was suggested that in this community, overweight might be a risk factor for development of hypertension and that maintenance of desirable body weight and moderate exercise should be recommended as the practical steps in the control of hypertension.
