Talk to the Veterans Crisis Line now
U.S. flag
An official website of the United States government

VA Health Systems Research

Go to the VA ORD website
Go to the QUERI website

HSR Citation Abstract

Search | Search by Center | Search by Source | Keywords in Title

Prevalence of obesity and high blood pressure in veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders: a retrospective review.

Weaver FM, Collins EG, Kurichi J, Miskevics S, Smith B, Rajan S, Gater D. Prevalence of obesity and high blood pressure in veterans with spinal cord injuries and disorders: a retrospective review. American journal of physical medicine & rehabilitation / Association of Academic Physiatrists. 2007 Jan 1; 86(1):22-9.

Related HSR&D Project(s)

Dimensions for VA is a web-based tool available to VA staff that enables detailed searches of published research and research projects.

If you have VA-Intranet access, click here for more information vaww.hsrd.research.va.gov/dimensions/

VA staff not currently on the VA network can access Dimensions by registering for an account using their VA email address.
   Search Dimensions for VA for this citation
* Don't have VA-internal network access or a VA email address? Try searching the free-to-the-public version of Dimensions



Abstract:

OBJECTIVE: A frequent cause of mortality in spinal cord injuries and disorders (SCIandD) is cardiovascular disease (CVD). Obesity and high blood pressure (BP) are modifiable risk factors for CVD. DESIGN: Retrospective review of clinical and administrative data for 7959 veterans with SCIandD. Data elements included height, weight, blood pressure, demographics, and level of injury. Analyses included descriptive statistics and generalized logistic regressions. RESULTS: Twenty percent of veterans were obese according to their body mass index (BMI), and 33% were overweight; 22% had high BP ( > or = 140/90 mm Hg). Because BMI underestimates obesity in SCIandD, adjusted BMIs for overweight (23-27 kg/m2) and obesity (28+ kg/m2) indicate that those overweight increased to 37%, and 31% were obese. Veterans ages 50-64 or who had paraplegia were more likely to be overweight and obese than others; being white or age 65+ was associated with a higher likelihood of being overweight. Veterans who were overweight or obese, black, older (age 50+), and paraplegic were more likely to have higher blood pressure. CONCLUSIONS: Obesity and high BP rates were lower for veterans with SCIandD than the general population. However, because BMI underestimates body adiposity in SCIandD, obesity is likely a much more prevalent problem in this population and warrants attention.





Questions about the HSR website? Email the Web Team

Any health information on this website is strictly for informational purposes and is not intended as medical advice. It should not be used to diagnose or treat any condition.