Magnitude of hypertension and its association with obesity among employees of Wallaga University, Ethiopia: a cross-sectional study

OBJECTIVE: To determine the magnitude of hypertension, its association with obesity and the associated factors among employees of Wallaga University, Ethiopia. DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: This institution-based cross-sectional study was employed among 588 employees of the university. Respondents were selected by stratified random sampling technique and interviewed with the aid of a structured questionnaire. THE MAIN OUTCOME MEASURED: Hypertension and obesity were measured using WHO Stepwise approach and recommendations. We used a stratified random sampling technique to select 588 employees of the university from 3 August 2021 to 15 October 2021. A structured questionnaire and anthropometric measurements were used for data collection. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to determine factors independently associated with hypertension. A p value less than or equal to 0.05 and its 95% confidence level was used to declare the statistical significance. RESULTS: A total of 578 participants consented and completed the study, giving a response rate of 98.3%. The mean age of the respondents was 31.78 years with SD of 5.4. The overall prevalence of hypertension, general obesity and central obesity was 14.4% (95% CI 11.6% to 17.5%), 31.3% (95% CI 27.6% to 35.3%) and 37% (95% CI 33.1% to 41.1%), respectively. Obesity was significantly associated with hypertension (adjusted OR (AOR): 6.3; 95% CI 2.60 to 8.19). Age range from 35 to 46 (AOR 7.01; 95% CI 1.56 to 31.74), age ≥46 years (AOR 8.45; 95% CI 1.14 to 62.04), being non-academic staff (AOR 2.74; 95% CI 1.56 to 4.81), having additional income (AOR 2.48; 95% CI 1.08 to 5.70), physical inactivity (AOR 2.36; 95% CI 1.44 to 3.88) and poor practice of dietary salt consumption (AOR 1.65; 95% CI 1.01 to 2.87) were factors associated with hypertension. CONCLUSION: One in seven, more than two in seven and nearly two in six of the employees of Wallaga University were hypertensive, centrally obese and generally obese, respectively. There was a positive association between obesity and hypertension. Comprehensive awareness creation and devising workplace intervention strategies are highly recommended to reduce the hypertension burden and associated obesity.