Objective: To establish the prevalence of overweight, obesity, elevated systolic (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and adding salt to meals as cardiovascular risk factors; the prevalence of fruit and leaf-vegetable consumption; and the prevalence of physical activity at leisure time as protective factors in Dubrovnik-Neretva County (County); and to compare these data with the respective figures in the Republic of Croatia (Croatia).
Methods: We used the 2003 Croatian Health Survey (CHS 2003) to provide data for our study. The CHS 2003 was a cross-sectional survey in a random sample of the general population aged > or =18.
Results: In the County, the prevalence of obesity, SBP, DBP, adding salt to meals, physical activity and leaf-vegetable consumption was higher in male population, and the prevalence of fruit and other green-vegetable consumption in female population. The prevalence of SBP, DBP, physical activity and leaf-vegetable consumption was higher in the County compared with Croatia.
Conclusion: The monitoring of all relevant indicators is required to identify the risks and protective cardiovascular factors in the County population, to allow for planning of public health programs for the prevention of cardiovascular disease.