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Prevalence of and risk factors for hypertension in urban and rural India: the ICMR–INDIAB study

Journal of Human Hypertension volume 29, pages 204–209 (2015)Cite this article

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Abstract

The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence of hypertension (HTN) and its risk factors in urban and rural India. In Phase I of the Indian Council of Medical Research–India Diabetes (ICMR–INDIAB) study, individuals aged ⩾20 years were surveyed using a stratified multistage sampling design, in three states (Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra and Jharkhand) and one union territory (Chandigarh) of India. Blood pressure was measured in all study subjects (n=14 059). HTN was defined as systolic blood pressure ⩾140 mm Hg, and/or DBP ⩾90 mm Hg and/or use of antihypertensive drugs. Overall age-standardized prevalence of HTN was 26.3% (self-reported: 5.5%; newly detected: 20.8%). Urban residents of Tamil Nadu, Jharkhand, Chandigarh and Maharashtra (31.5, 28.9, 30.7 and 28.1%) had significantly higher prevalence of HTN compared with rural residents (26.2, 21.7, 19.8 and 24.0%, respectively). Multivariate regression analysis showed that age, male gender, urban residence, generalized obesity, diabetes, physical inactivity and alcohol consumption were significantly associated with HTN. Salt intake ⩾6.5 g per day, showed significantly higher risk for HTN (odds ratio: 1.4, 95% confidence interval: 1.0–1.9, P=0.042) even after adjusting for confounding variables. In conclusion, prevalence of undiagnosed HTN is high in India and this calls for regular screening.

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Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the ICMR, New Delhi for the financial support for the study and the ICMR–INDIAB Expert Group for their valuable suggestions and scientific inputs. We also thank the ICMR–INDIAB Quality Managers, Quality Supervisors and the field team for smooth conduct of the study and the participants for their cooperation. This is the sixth paper from the ICMR–INDIAB Study (ICMR –INDIAB -6).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Endocrinology, Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, India

    A Bhansali

  2. Department of Diabetology, Diabetes Care Center, Ranchi, India

    V K Dhandania

  3. Department of Epidemiology and Diabetology, Madras Diabetes Research Foundation and Dr Mohan’s Diabetes Specialities Centre, Chennai, India

    M Deepa, R M Anjana, R Subashini, V Sudha, R Unnikrishnan, V Mohan & R Pradeepa

  4. Department of Endocrinology, Lilavati Hospital, Mumbai, India

    S R Joshi

  5. Department of Medicine, Indira Gandhi Government Medical College, Nagpur, India

    P P Joshi

  6. Department of Medicine, University College of Medical Sciences and GTB Hospital, Delhi, India

    S V Madhu

  7. Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Nizam’s Institute of Medical Sciences, Hyderabad, India

    P V Rao

  8. Department of Endocrinology, Jawaharlal Institute of Postgraduate Medical Education and Research, Puducherry, India

    A K Das

  9. Department of Non Communicable Diseases, Indian Council of Medical Research, New Delhi, India

    D K Shukla & T Kaur

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  1. A Bhansali
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for the ICMR–INDIAB Collaborative Study Group

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Correspondence to V Mohan.

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Author contributions

RMA and VM conceived the study, its design and were involved in implementation of the study, interpretation of the data and helped to draft and revise the manuscript. MD, VS, RU and RP were involved in the design and coordination of the study, interpretation of the data and drafting the manuscript. AB, VKD, SRJ and PPJ were responsible for supervision of the study in their respective states. PVR, AKD, DKS and TK were part of the study expert committee and helped revising the manuscript critically for important intellectual content. MD, VS and RP helped in the execution of the study and were responsible for maintaining quality in the study. RS and RP were responsible for data management and statistical analyses. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.

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Bhansali, A., Dhandania, V., Deepa, M. et al. Prevalence of and risk factors for hypertension in urban and rural India: the ICMR–INDIAB study. J Hum Hypertens 29, 204–209 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1038/jhh.2014.57

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