Abstract

The purpose of this study was to compare food habits and nutrient intakes with body mass index of hypertensive patients commuting to a Local Health Center. A total of 85 patients were divided into two groups according to BMI. The non-obese group comprised 43 subjects with BMI below 25㎏/$m^2$ , while the obese group comprised 42 subjects with BMI above 25㎏/$m^2$ . All Subjects were interviewed for general characteristics, food habits, clinical characteristics, effort for health maintenance and the knowledge of hypertension and nutrition. Anthropometric assessments such as weight, height, waist-hip ratio and biochemical measurement of blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and fasting blood glucose(FBG) were obtained from subjects. In general characteristics, smoking, drinking, exercise, and hypertension status were not significantly different between the two groups. Food habits and the means of daily energy and nutrients were not significantly different between the two groups. An analysis of the percentage of RDA(Recommended Dietary Allowances of Korea, 2000) consumed by patients showed that but for ascorbic acid and phosphorus, all nutrients were below the RDA. And intakes of vitamin $B_1$(P<0.001), vitamin $B_2$(P<0.01), niacin(P<0.001) of the obese group were significantly lower than that of the non-obese group. Blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, triglyceride, total cholesterol, HDL-cholesterol and fasting blood glucose were in the normal range and there was not a significant difference in the two groups. Therefore, more effective nutrition education programs about exercise, smoking, caloric intake, vitamins and minerals are required for hypertensive patients commuting to Local Health Center.

Keywords

• hypertensive patients;
• obesity;
• body mass index;
• food habits;
• nutrient intake;
• Local Health Center