Analysis of the prevalence and correlation between comorbidities such as obesity, excess weight, low weight, hypertension, diabetes mellitus 1 and 2 and dyslipidemias in patients of the Food and Nutrition Service of the District Hospital of Figueira da Foz

Abstract

Introduction: Chronic diseases are responsible for 80% of the mortality in European countries, with excess weight and inadequate dietary habits being the main associated risk factors that can be modified [1]. This year’s national data shows that the most prevalent chronic diseases associated with nutrition are directed to excess weight, representing 57% of the population, including obesity (28.7%); followed by hypertension (36%) and diabetes (30%). From the same source, regarding total cholesterol, 63.3% of the Portuguese population presented high levels [1]. This study aims to characterise the population attending nutrition consultations in the Food and Nutrition Service of the District Hospital of Figueira da Foz and analyse the association between the different comorbidities.

Materials and methods: Data from the assistance movement of 2017 of the nutrition consultations was analyzed in Excel. Using the excel correlation matrix tool, it was possible to obtain the prevalence and the strength of correlation between the comorbidities presented by the 991 patients seen during the year.

Results: The prevalence of obesity was 90.82%, followed by hypertension (41.07%); dyslipidemias (41.07%); diabetes mellitus 2 (16.35%); excess weight (4.95%); low weight (2.83%) and diabetes mellitus 1 (0.71%). Concerning the strength of correlation, the values were 0.97 for the association between dyslipidemias and hypertension; 0.87 for dyslipidemias and diabetes mellitus 2; 0.87 for diabetes mellitus 2 and hypertension; 0.87 for obesity and hypertension; 0.85 for obesity and dyslipidemias; 0.76 for obesity and diabetes mellitus 2; 0.22 for obesity and diabetes mellitus 1; −0.08 for excess weight and dyslipidemias; −0.1 for dyslipidemias and diabetes mellitus 1; −0.1 for hypertension and diabetes mellitus 1; −0.12 excess weight and hypertension; −0.19 excess weight and diabetes mellitus 2; −0.34 excess weight and diabetes mellitus 1; −0.34 low weight and diabetes mellitus 1; −0.39 for low weight and dyslipidemias; −0.39 for low weight and hypertension and −0.45 for low weight and diabetes mellitus 2.

Discussion and conclusions: Obesity, hypertension and dyslipidemias were the most frequent pathologies, being these results coherent with the previous literature. The main values showed that the risk of developing hypertension and diabetes mellitus 2 is significantly high for patients with dyslipidemias. The chance is equally high for patients with diabetes mellitus 2 to suffer from hypertension and for obese patients to develop hypertension, dyslipidemias and diabetes mellitus 2. Nevertheless, excess weight did not disclose a relation with diabetes 2 and dyslipidemias, nor a correlation between obesity, dyslipidemias and hypertension with diabetes mellitus 1. Finally, in spite of not displaying the expected strong correlation (maybe due to the small number of patients with this pathology), low weight proved to hold an inverse relation between dyslipidemias and hypertension.

Acknowledgements

The authors acknowledge contribution from the Dietetics and Nutrition Unit of Hospital District of Figueira da Foz.