Cardiometabolic Risk Factors In Hispanic College Aged Women

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the number two cause of death for Hispanics in the United States. CVD is closely related to hypertension, Type 2 diabetes, hyperlipidemia, and obesity. The current literature is unclear regarding the prevalence and severity of cardiometabolic risk factors in Hispanic women between the ages of 18-24. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to evaluate cardiometabolic risk factors in college-aged Hispanic women. METHODS: Participants completed an informed consent, PAR-Q and medical family history. Participants came to the lab on two different days. During one session, participants arrived 7:00-9:00 am following a 12 hour fast; first, participants rested for 5 minutes, and resting heart rate and blood pressure was measured. We then assessed height, weight, hip and waist circumference, and body composition. We used a finger stick to assess fasted blood glucose, and blood lipids. The second session took place between 10 am-2 pm as participants needed to be 2-3 hours post-fed. Participants completed a Bruce protocol on the treadmill. VO2max was calculated from ACSM metabolic equations. After, they completed a pushup test per ACSM Guidelines. Data are presented as means±SD. RESULTS: We evaluated 15 females (20.80 ± 0.71 years old) in this study. Our participants had a body mass index (BMI) of 31.49 ± 8.36 kg/m2, a body fat of 35.52 ± 8.60 %, and waist circumference of 38.29 ± .4.88 in. Resting blood pressure was 128.44 ± 9.67 mmHg (systolic) and 60.22 ± 5.55 mmHg (diastolic). Fasted blood lipids were 143.00 ± 23.01 mg/dl (total cholesterol), 51.22 ± 7.92 mg/dl (high density lipoproteins), 97.22 ± 33.64 mg/dl (triglycerides), and 72.33 ± 24.26 mg/dl (low density lipoproteins). Fasted blood glucose was 92.50 ± 9.17 mg/dl. VO2max was 29.69 ± 6.79 ml/kg/min. Participants completed 14.44 ± 8.44 push-ups. CONCLUSION: We found that college-aged Hispanic females had higher than recommended fasting glucose, BMI, waist circumference, and waist to hip ratio AND low cardiorespiratory fitness. This is a concern for these participants because, without intervention, these risk factors could lead to health issues that include Type 2 diabetes and CVD.