Determinants of blood pressure among Indonesian elderly individuals who are of normal and over-weight: A cross sectional study in an urban population

Cardiovascular disease has become the first cause of death in Indonesia. The highest morbidity is found in the aged, and among cardiovascular disorders or diseases, the prevalence of hypertension is the highest. Many studies of the relationship between nutritional factors and hypertension have been conducted, especially with reference to the metabolic syndrome, but studies to understand determinants of blood pressure in Indonesia are lacking. There is an urgent need to gather information about various blood pressure risk factors in Indonesian elderly, which will allow policy makers to provide appropriate intervention programs. The primary purpose of this study was to investigate various determinants of blood pressure in Indonesian elderly who differed in body composition. A cross sectional study was undertaken in Jakarta on 556 elderly using multistage random sampling. Data were collected through interview using structured questionnaires, anthropometric measurements, biochemical blood analysis, and blood pressure measurements. Daily nutrient intake was analyzed using the World Food 2 Dietary Assessment Program. General Linear Model and Multiple linear regression analysis were performed to determine determinants of systolic and diastolic blood pressure. Monounsaturated fatty acid, saturated fatty acid, and sodium intake, plasma total cholesterol level, the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL-cholesterol and a sport Index were determinants of blood pressure in the normal weight elderly individuals, while potassium intake, calcium intake and BMI were determinants of blood pressure in the overweight elderly individuals.