Prevalence and associated factors of dyslipidaemia among university workers in Southeast Nigeria: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background The job one does for a living may increase ones propensity to cardiovascular diseases due to many associated risk factors. University staff may be at high risk of dyslipidaemia, a major cardiovascular disease risk factor. This study assessed prevalence of dyslipidaemia and its associated factors among the staff of University of Nigeria, Nsukka campus, Nigeria. Methods A cross-sectional survey of 386 workers selected through a 4-stage sampling technique was conducted. Data were obtained through questionnaire and lipid profile determination. Bivariate analysis using Cochran and Mantel-Haenszel test was used to determine associations between dyslipidaemia and selected variables. Odds ratios and significance at p \u2009<\u20090.05 were reported. Results Respondents who were 46 years and above accounted for 51.3\u2009% while 95.3\u2009% had tertiary education. Administrative/technical staff were 76.4\u2009% while academic staff were only 23.6\u2009%; 73.8\u2009% were senior staff and 26.2\u2009% were junior staff. More than half (60.4\u2009%) consumed alcohol above recommendation. Lipid biomarkers of the workers were not sex dependent ( p \u2009>\u20090.05). Few (23.4 and 6.5\u2009%) of the respondents had borderline high and high total cholesterol values, respectively. Whereas none (0.0\u2009%) had low high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c), borderline low values were observed among 1.3\u2009%. High low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-c) affected 1.3\u2009%. Triglyceride was high among 3.9\u2009%; 20.8\u2009% had high atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) and 2.6\u2009% had impaired fasting blood glucose (IFBG). Dyslipidaemia had a prevalence of 54.5\u2009% with female dominance. Hypercholesterolemia with high LDL-c was the commonest combined dyslipidaemia observed (7.8\u2009%). Dyslipidaemia was dependent on hypercholesterolemia (OR\u2009=\u20090.352, 95\u2009% C.I.=0.245–0.505), high LDL-c (OR\u2009=\u20090.462, 95\u2009% C.I.=0.355-0.600) and hypertriglyceridemia (OR\u2009=\u20090.462, 95\u2009% C.I.=0.355-0.600). Alcohol intake above normal was associated with almost 6 times higher risk of dyslipidaemia (OR\u2009=\u20095.625, 95\u2009% C.I.=1.062–29.799). Conclusions Dyslipidaemia is a problem among the workers with hypercholesterolemia in combination with high LDL-c and hypertriglyceridemia compounding the problem. Nutrition education and physical activity are advocated to prevent cardiovascular events among the university staff.