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Electronic Journal of General Medicine
2020, 17(5), em217
e-ISSN: 2516-3507
https://www.ejgm.co.uk/ Original Article OPEN ACCESS
Association of Body Composition and Anthropometric Measurement
with Hypertension among Workers in Universitas Ahmad Dahlan
Nurul Putrie Utami
1
*, Cita Eri Ayuningtyas
1
, Widodo Hariyono
2
1
Foodservice Industry, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universitas Ahmad Dahlan (UAD) Yogyakarta, INDONESIA
2
Public Health Science, Faculty of Public Health, Universitas Ahmad Dahlan (UAD), Yogyakarta, INDONESIA
*Corresponding Author: nurul.putrie@culinary.uad.ac.id
Citation: Utami NP, Ayuningtyas CE, Hariyono W. Association of Body Composition and Anthropometric Measurement with Hypertension among
Workers in Universitas Ahmad Dahlan. Electron J Gen Med. 2020;17(5):em217. https://doi.org/10.29333/ejgm/7880
ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT
Received: 6 Feb. 2020
Accepted: 8 Mar. 2020
Purpose: This study aims to investigate the relationship between anthropometric and body composition
measurement with the risk of hypertension among office workers.
Methodology: This study was a cross-sectional study in office workers population in Universitas Ahmad Dahlan.
The subjects of the study were 125 persons (72 males and 53 females) aged 20 - 60 years. The measurement of
anthropometry was using an electronic digital scale for weight, microtoise for height, and meter line for waist
circumference. In analysing body composition such as total body fat and visceral fat, we were using Bioelectrical
Impendence Analyzer (BIA) Body Composition Monitor Omron Karada Scan HBF-375. Blood pressure was
measured by an automatic blood pressure monitor OMRON HEM-7120. Hypertension was classified if the blood
pressure of systolic ≥140 and diastolic ≥90. The association between risk factors variables and hypertension status
was analysed by chi-square test and multiple logistic regression.
Results: The prevalence of hypertension was found 18.6% in male and 13.21% in female. All risk factors were
similar between male and female (p>0.05). Body mass index (BMI), waist to hip ratio (WHtR), and total body fat
were not statistically significant with hypertension status (p>0.05). The statistically significant risk factors of
hypertension only found in waist circumference and visceral fat (p=0.036; p=0.002). Results of multivariate
analysis, visceral fat remains significant in predicting hypertension, with 4.87 times higher risk of having
hypertension in workers if having high visceral fat (95% CI 1.722-13.7831)
Applications/Originality/Value: This study shows that the prevalence of pre-hypertension and hypertension
among workers were high. Thus, controlling modifiable risk factors is very important. Maintain the waist
circumference and visceral fat in normal range with proper healthy lifestyle were needed especially in office
workers.
Keywords: hypertension, office workers, body mass index, visceral fat, waist circumference
INTRODUCTION
Hypertension is a health problem that has an impact on
various diseases. High blood pressure was associated with
increased risks of all-cause mortality, Chronic Heart Disease
(CHD), stroke, and kidney disease (1). The prevalence of
hypertension has continued to increase over the past few
years, including in Indonesia (2). Nowadays, hypertension has
occurred not only in the elderly but also in younger age and
sometimes undetectable, except for people who routinely
checked their health status.
Office workers are one of the populations vulnerable to
hypertension. Working patterns that sit more increase the risk
of obesity. Based on the results of research, workers who sit
more than 6 hours per day on risk for obesity compared to
those who sit less than 45 minutes per day (3). Higher
prevalence of over-nutrition can impact to financial loss of the
institution because of higher health cost spending,
absenteeism, work hours lost, and worker loss (4,5).
Monitoring health status by weighing frequently was one of
the principal messages for Indonesian’s Nutrition Balance
Guideline 2014. Based on weighing, we can assess body mass
index which was one of the risk factors of hypertension.
However, there was another anthropometric measurement
who were closely related to hypertension, such as the
measurements of waist circumference and waist ho height
ratio (WHtR) (6-8). Limitation of anthropometric measurement
was it can’t distinguish between weight of fat mass and fat-free
mass in overall body weight. Moreover, some research also
showed that hypertension was also determined by the amount
of fat inside the human body (9).
Some of the previous research showed varying result of
hypertension risk factors and not specific for workers
population (10,11). In this study, we would investigate which
indicators of anthropometric and body composition
measurement that predict hypertension in workers. We also
would analyse which factors that become the strongest
predictors of hypertension in workers. Thus, it can be the