Information on cardiovascular health study of Chileans. It highlights the Associate Researcher Dr. ACCDiS . Claudia Bambs, leading the research.
Estudio del Centro Avanzado de Enfermedades Crónicas evaluó a 1.200 personas de la comuna de Molina.
How healthy are the Chileans? This question is trying to answer a team of researchers from the Advanced Center for Chronic Disease (Accdis).
Following the recommendations of the American Heart Association (AHA), They reviewed seven ideal factors considered for good cardiovascular health, as no smoking, having an index of mass body (IMC) menor a 25, an activity physical high (al menos tres veces a la semana por 30 minutos cada vez), a diet healthy (based on a Mediterranean diet with fruits, vegetables, oil of olive, avocado), cholesterol less than 200 mg/dl, presión arterial menor a 120/80 y una glicemia menor a 100 md/dl.
The results preliminary are some encouraging. De las más de 1.200 personas encuestadas en la ciudad de Molina (see text box), ninguna cumplía con estos siete factores de salud y apenas un 2,9% tenía una dieta saludable. "In all the shows not found to any subject that comply with the seven parameters". However, 15% had four or more components in the ideal category", says Accdis researcher and academic in the Department of public health of the U. ACDDiS, Claudia Bambs.
Research
Upon entering the study, the volunteers are subjected to a questionnaire about their habits food, of sleep and physical activity. In addition, weight measurements are carried out, size, circumference of waist, blood and urine samples. One of those blood samples is stored in a BioBank for further studies where they discover a new need study in this population genetic marker.
A trial of Bambs, the result was expected considering the latest national health survey data (2010): 67% of Chileans is overweight, of these 39,3% overweight, 25,1% is obese and 2,3% suffer from morbid obesity. In addition, 27% have hypertension and 40,6% smoke. "The results reflect a situation that not only affects to Molina", but to the whole country. This is a starting point to identify what are the most critical components, where to focus efforts to change reality", designates.
Modify
The epidemiologist also highlights that four of the seven components are "behaviors of health" (diet, physical activity, smoking, IMC) that may change with the time and it can improve. "We are not measuring risk factors, We are measuring health. Is love that the people have more health, a challenge country and for that, We must focus on prevention and promotion of health", explains Bambs.
As in other research, in this study, people of lower education had poorer levels of cardiovascular health.
Diet reproached
To define what is a diet healthy, the study applied the "Mediterranean food Score" based on high consumption of vegetables, fruits, legumes, fruit dry, cereals, lean meats, fish and seafood, nonfat milk, oil of olive, avocado and wine, and a low consumption of meat fat, milk and sugar (sweet, desserts, drinks). In total there were 14 items and each one received a score of 0, 0,5 or 1, According to comply with the criteria. So was grouped into three categories of diet people: healthy (9-14 points), regular (5 a <9 points) and poor (<5 points).
The consumption of vegetables and seafood was the item that less score achieved, the two parameters reached just 1,7% compliance. Participants Yes recorded a low consumption of whole milk (50,3%), low sugar consumption (35,5%), and high consumption of legumes and nuts (34,3%).
By gender, women had a higher proportion of diet in ideal category (3,42% versus 1,93% in men). Similar to other studies, the proportion of category ideal diet was significantly higher in participants with more than 12 years schooling (8,3%) versus those with average schooling (3,7%) and basic (0,6%).b
From 2013, the town of Molina has become a true natural laboratory. She is one of the seven communes with more cancer and cardiovascular disease mortality rates. By that in the Center advanced of diseases chronic (Accdis), comprised of experts from the universities of Chile, Catholic and of the Maule, they decided to track about 10 thousand inhabitants to know what factors are acting on them.
In the project dubbed Mauco - by the union of the words "cohort of Maule"-, the commune authorities are involved, the staff of health and the community. "Having this cohort is an unprecedented fact in Chile", highlights the Dr. Bambs. In addition is designed to have representativeness to level national.
Early cognitive impairment is also under study in this population.