COMPARISON OF HYPERTENSION PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED RISK FACTORS IN MONKS AND COMMON RESIDENTS FROM ZHEJIANG PROVINCE, SOUTHEAST CHINA

Objective: The prevalence of hypertension changes with the level of progress of the economy, society, and civilization. There is a lack of relevant studies on monks populations. This study investigated and compared the prevalence and influencing factors of hypertension among monks and common residents in Zhejiang province. Design and method: A cross-sectional survey was conducted by using a stratified multistage random sampling method. Using the probability proportional to size method, 12 districts were selected. A given number of participants from each of the 14 gender/age strata (male/female and aged 15–24, 25–34, 35–44, 45–54, 55–64, 65–74, 75) were chosen also using the SRS method according to the national demographic composition, from communities or villages using the lists compiled from the local government registers of households (Figure 1). Recruitment included a total of 19254 participants aged 15 or older in 12 districts in Zhejiang province. Socio-demographic profiles, examinations were administrated on each subject. Multilevel logistic regression models were used to identify the risk factors of hypertension. Results: The prevalence of hypertension among monks in Zhoushan was relatively lower than that among common residents of Zhejiang province (11.2% VS. 22.5%). Men (vs. women), 40–79 / 50–59 / 60 years and above (vs. 15–39 years), less than middle school (vs. college or higher), large abdominal waist circumference (vs. normal), family history of hypertension (vs. none), salt use 5 gram or above (ref: < 5 gram), large visceral adipose index (VAI) (vs. normal), large body fat percentage (BFP) (vs. normal) and overweight/obesity (vs. normal weight) were the main risk factors for hypertension development among common residents. Men (vs. women), 60 years and above (vs. 15–39 years), obesity (vs. normal weight), large abdominal waist circumference (vs. normal), large VAI (vs. normal) were the main risk factors for hypertension development among monks. Conclusions: Zhoushan monks had lower hypertension prevalence, that maybe because they had more healthy lifestyles including of no tobacco and alcohol consumption, more vegetables intake, less anxiety and stress.