Extent of Hypercholesterolemia in geriatric subjects and its Nutritional Linkages: Community Based Study in Urban Prayagraj, India

Abstract

 Background: The prevalence of hypercholesterolemia is steadily rising. There is a paucity of community-based study about extent and linkages of hypercholesterolemia in urban geriatric subjects. Aim: To assess prevalence and linkages of hypercholesterolemia in urban geriatric subjects. Methods: This community based cross sectional study was done on 557 urban geriatric subjects (> 60 years) of Prayagraj. Multistage sampling procedure was adopted for selection of subjects. Predesigned and pretested interview schedule was used to elicit socio-demographic information. Anthropometric measurements were done using standard techniques. Blood sample was collected for estimation of total serum cholesterol following aseptic procedure. Data analysis was done by using Statistical Package for Social Sciences. Chi-square test was applied for statistical significance. Logistic regression analysis was used to pinpoint linkages of hypercholesterolemia. Results: Of 552 subjects, 32.4% had hypercholesterolemia. Subjects with at risk waist circumference (43.0%), high waist hip ratio (39.5%), over weight/obese (43.2%), increased body fat% (40.9%) and visceral fat% (44.1%) had hyper-cholesterolemia (p<0.05). Conclusion: Eight out of 25 subjects had hypercholesterolemia. Hypercholesterolemia was significantly associated with waist circumference, waist hip ratio, body fat% and visceral fat%. Food habit and Body Mass Index were identified as linkages of hypercholesterolemia in subjects.