Background: High blood pressure is a serious medical condition that significantly increases the risk of cardiovascular disease. Although overweight and high blood pressure are frequent consequences for the health of life at sea, there is a paucity of information on the contribution of body mass index (BMI) to high blood pressure (HBP) in seafarers.
Objective: The present study was aimed to examine the relationship between BMI and blood pressure and to analyze further BMI as a risk factor for high blood pressure through a modeling approach.
Materials and methods: A retrospective analysis was performed on 603 seafarers' medical examination records. The seafarer's blood pressure and BMI were recorded and interpreted according to the WHO criteria. Pearson product-moment correlation was examined to determine the association between BMI and blood pressure. Multinomial logistic regression models were performed to estimate the strength of association between the BMI and the HBP.
Results: Out of a total of 603 seafarers under study, 44.4% and 55.6% were officers and non-officers, respectively. Mean SBP, DBP, and BMI were significantly higher among non-officers than officers. BMI was positively correlated (p < .01) with both SBP (r = 0.336) and DBP (r = 0.344). About 39% and 16.6% of the study subjects were prehypertension and hypertensive, respectively. The risk of prehypertension and hypertension was higher in individuals who were overweight and obese.
Conclusions: Mean blood pressure levels increase parallel to the rise of BMI. Thus, emphasis should be given on a weight management program in relation to the prevention and control of high blood pressure.
Keywords: Body mass index; blood pressure; hypertension; obesity; overweight; seafarers.