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Background: Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are the number one cause of death globally and are the leading cause of death in India also. Several surveys conducted across the country over the past few decades have shown a rising prevalence of major risk factors for CVD in Asian Indian population. The problem of increasing risk factors for CVD in India is because of lack of surveillance system and lack of proper diagnosis. This study will help to point out the need of research so that some advanced diagnosis system may be developed for proper diagnosis of CVDs and to reduce the growing burden of CVDs in the country. Methods: We did a literature search for the period from 1968 to 2012 using PUBMED search to identify all relevant studies of cardiovascular diseases. Besides PUBMED searching, manual searching has also been done. This article provides a review of current understanding of the epidemiology of cardiovascular disease, particularly, coronary heart disease (CHD), stroke and related risk factors in Asian Indian population. Results: Hypertension and diabetes are highly prevalent among Asian Indian population, which may explain their high rate of stroke and heart attack in India. The increasing rate of CVD may be explained by the high rates of other risk factors including adverse lipid profile. The etiology of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) is multifactorial and no single factor is an absolute cause. Conclusion: The cardiovascular diseases and its risk factors are increasing with a rapid pace in Asian Indian population. Though the prevalence of CVD risk factors is found higher in urban population, yet it is increasing at an alarming rate in rural population also, which is a serious threatening to the nation. Since majority of the Indians live in rural area, CVD may lead to epidemic proportions. We need health promotion programs and reorientation of primary health care to improve CVD detection in earlier stage and its management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of overweight and obesity and their effects on cardiometabolic risk factors in a representative sample of urban population in Eastern India. Materials and methods: A population-based survey was conducted among a randomly selected study population aged 20-80 years in an urban population of Berhampur city of Eastern India. Both anthropometric and biochemical information were collected, in addition to detailed information on classical cardiometabolic risk factors. Both descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed. Obesity and overweight were defined based on the revised Asian-Pacific population criteria (Body mass index [BMI] ≥25 kg/m[sup 2] and ≥23 kg/m[sup 2], respectively). Results: The age-standardized rates of obesity and overweight are 36.8% (Males: 33.2%; Females: 40.8%) and 17.6%, (Males: 20.4%; Females: 15.1%) respectively, i.e., over half are either obese or overweight in this study population. Compared to the World Health Organization (WHO) standard cutoff criteria of overweight [BMI ≥25 kg/m[sup 2]] and obesity [BMI >30 kg/m[sup 2]], the cardiometabolic risk factors studied showed a significant incremental rise even with the lower cutoffs of the revised Asia-Pacific criteria. Older age, female gender, family history of diabetes, being hypertensive, hypertriglyceridemia, hypercholesterolemia, physical inactivity and middle to higher socioeconomic status significantly contributed to increased obesity risk among this urban population. Conclusion: One-third of the urban populations are obese in Eastern India - an underestimate compared to the standard BMI cutoff criteria. Nevertheless, significant associations of the classical cardiometabolic risk factors with obesity were observed using the revised Asia-Pacific criteria clearly indicating a more aggressive cardiovascular prevention strategy for Asian Indians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and to identify predictors for the same, specific to an underdeveloped urban locale of Eastern India. Materials and Methods: Study design: Population-based cross-sectional study, with multistage random sampling technique. Setting: Urban city-dwellers in Orissa one of the poorest states of Eastern India bordering a prosperous state of Andhra Pradesh of Southern India. Participants: 1178 adults of age 20-80 years randomly selected from 37 electoral wards of the urban city. Definition of Metabolic Syndrome: We followed a unified definition of the metabolic syndrome by joint interim statement of five major scientific organizations - the International Diabetes Federation, the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute, the American Heart Association, the World Heart Federation, the International Atherosclerosis Society, and the International Association of the Study of Obesity. Individuals who meet at least three of five clinical criteria of abdominal obesity, hypertriglyceredimia, low HDL, hypertension, and hyperglycemia are diagnosed as having the condition; presence of none of these criteria is mandatory. Explicit cut points are defined for all criteria, except elevated waist circumference, which must rely on population and country-specific definitions. Main Outcome Measure: Prevalence and significant predictors of metabolic syndrome. Statistical Analysis: Both descriptive and multivariable logistic regression analyses. Results: Age-standardized prevalence rates of metabolic syndrome were 33.5% overall, 24.9 % in males and 42.3% in females. Older age, female gender, general obesity, inadequate fruit intake, hypercholesterolemia, and middle-to-high socioeconomic status significantly contributed to increased risk of metabolic syndrome. Conclusion: Metabolic syndrome is a significant public health problem even in one of the poorest states of India that needs to be tackled with proven strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]