Hypertension and obesity among paralytic poliomyelitis survivors in Nigeria

Hypertension and obesity have been reported as prevalent cardiovascular risk indicators among poliomyelitis (polio) survivors in developed countries, but findings from developed countries may not be directly extrapolated to Nigeria because of racial and environmental differences. This cross-sectional survey aimed at providing reference data on the prevalence of hypertension and obesity among polio survivors in Nigeria. Resting blood pressure (RBP) and body mass index (BMI) in consecutively recruited participants were categorized using the British Hypertension Society Classification and the World Health Organization BMI Scale, respectively. A total of 252 (119 males, 133 females) participants were included in the study; mean age was 34.0 ± 9.1 years (range, 21–52 years) and polio was contracted at a mean age of 3.2 ± 2.2 years. Approximately 25% and 48% of the participants had hypertension and prehypertension, respectively. Overweight/obesity was present in about 41% of the participants. Prevalence of hypertension and obesity from this study were lower than values previously reported for populations in developed countries, probably due to the relatively younger age of participants. Prevalence of hypertension was, however, higher than the national average for the non-physically challenged adult Nigerians. Cardiovascular health promotion should be emphasized among polio survivors in Nigeria.