Personal history and body mass index as a mediator effect on blood pressure in health personnel at a hospital in Guayaquil - Ecuador; [Antecedentes personales e índice de masa corporal como efecto mediador en la presión arterial en el personal de salud en un Hospital de Guayaquil – Ecuador]

Abstract

Introduction: High blood pressure is the main risk of cardiovascular disease, many factors involved including age, physical inactivity, sex, smoking, alcohol, stress and obesity. Objectives: To identify the mediating effect of the body mass index in the relationship between personal history and blood pressure of health personnel. Methods: Cross-sectional study, access was obtained to the electronic medical record of the occupational medicine department. The sample was 748 health workers Hospital de Guayaquil. The simple mediation model was used to verify if there was an association between personal history of arterial hypertension and blood pressure, mediated by BMI, using the macro PROCESS v. 4.1 and the SPSS program (version 26.0). Results: The BMI was x = 29,37 kg/m2 (overweight). Men presented higher systolic (124,42 mmHg) and diastolic (76,85 mmHg) pressure compared to women (115,44 mmHg and 71,92 mmHg respectively) (p<0,05). Only in women was an indirect effect of BMI found in the association of personal history of arterial hypertension (APH) and both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (p<0,001). Conclusion: The personal history of arterial hypertension is directly associated with the increase in pressure (either systolic or diastolic). In addition, the BMI is a mediating variable that acts in the association. © 2023 Sociedad espanola de dietetica. All rights reserved.