Cardiovascular risk factors in military personnel of the brazilian airforce at Alcântara (MA)

Objective: To investigate the frequency of cardiovascular risk factors in military personnel of the Brazilian Air Force in Alcântara, Brazil. Methods: A retrospective cross-sectional study was conducted with clinical records of 240 active military personnel from the Medical and Statistical Archives Service and nutritional assessment from the Nutrition Subsection Sector. The modifiable (diabetes mellitus - DM, systemic arterial hypertension - SAH, generalized obesity, abdominal obesity, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, sedentarism, smoking, and alcoholism) and non-modifiable (gender and age) cardiovascular risk factors, anthropometric data, and cardiovascular diseases (CVD) were extracted. Descriptive statistics and chi-square test was applied (a=5%). Results: The sample was predominantly male (55.8%) and with a mean age of 33 (±8.4) years. The most prevalent risk factors were overweight (43.8%), abdominal obesity (42.9%), generalized obesity (21.3%), alcoholism (34.6%), and sedentary lifestyle (31.3%). Regarding the distribution of cardiovascular risk factors in relation to gender, a significant association was found with SAH, sedentarism, abdominal obesity and nutritional status (p=0.004, p=0.027, p=0.040 and p=0.018, respectively). For the sample studied, 2.7% had CVD. Conclusions: The predominant cardiovascular risk factors were overweight, abdominal obesity, generalized obesity, alcoholism and sedentary lifestyle. In men, hypertension and overweight were predominant, and in women, sedentarism and abdominal obesity.