Assessment of the Lifestyle Related Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Diseases among Adolescents.

A study to assess the lifestyle related risk factors for cardiovascular diseases among adolescents' in selected schools, Kochi. Objectives of the Study: (1) Identify the presence of lifestyle related risk factors for cardiovascular diseases among adolescents (2) Assess selected anthropometric (height, weight and Body Mass Index) and physiological (Blood Pressure) parameters of adolescent children (3) Associate Body Mass Index and Blood Pressure with lifestyle related risk factors for cardiovascular diseases among adolescents. (4) Associate the existing lifestyle related risk factors with selected demographic variables. Methodology & Design: Design was descriptive survey design. Multi staged sampling technique was used in this study. Tool developed for the study was a rating scale, checklist and a physical proforma documentation chart. Consent was obtained from parents and children. Results: Among 280 subjects 70.4% of the subjects have normal systolic blood pressure and 16.4% have pre-hypertension and 13.2% have hypertension. Among 280 subjects 67.9% of the subjects have normal diastolic blood pressure and 23.9% have pre-hypertension and 8.2% have hypertension. Out of 280 subjects 12.1% were underweight, 58.2% were belongs to normal weight, 23.2% were overweight and 6.4% were obese children. There is an association between family history of death due to heart disease with lifestyle related risk factors (p=0.024). The result shows that among 280 subjects, about 8.6% are at mild risk and 91.4% are at moderate risk for developing cardiovascular diseases in future. Conclusion: Identifying at-risk children and adolescents is the fi rst step in modifying or preventing lifestyle related risk factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]