Cardiovascular risk factors among Bangladeshi ready-made garment workers

Abstract

To estimate the prevalence and identify correlates of anthropometry and clinical risk factors for cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) among ready-made garment (RMG) of workers, majority are females, come from low-socioeconomics conditions. Population-based cross-sectional study with 614 individuals aged ≥18 years were recruited from six different RMG factories. In total, of 313 male (46%) and 301 of female (56%) workers had body mass index (BMI) in the overweight and obese range as per Asian cut off values with corresponding reflection in waist hip ratio (WHR). High proportion of male 84% (95% confidence interval 81-87) had smoking habits. The prevalence of hypertension (HTN), dyslipidemia were 24% vs 15%; 56% vs 43% among males and females respectively. Prevalence of diabetes was 7.3% (5.3-9.4) and pre-diabetes was 10.6% (8.2-13) and it showed female preponderance (4.5% male vs 10.3% female). In multivariable logistic regression HTN showed significant association with age, gender, BMI; glycemic status with age, genderand WHR; dyslipidemia with BMI and WHR. A substantial proportion of RMG workers are at an increased risk of CVDs which need focused attention to reduce smoking (among males) and body-weight and central obesity, particularly in females.