Hyderabad: Men in urban areas suffer more than women from hypertension and its prevalence is highest in Kerala, says a report of the city-based National Institute of Nutrition (NIN).
It also mentions that nearly 16 percent of men in the country smoke tobacco and 30 percent consume alcohol.
A study on these aspects was conducted by the National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB). The findings of the study formed the basis of a report compiled by NIN, which comes under the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR).
The report, titled 'Diet and nutritional status of urban population in India and prevalence of obesity, hypertension, diabetes and its associated non-communicable diseases', was released here last week.
As per the report, around 31 percent of urban men suffer from hypertension as compared to 26 percent women.
In Kerala, the prevalence of hypertension was highest (31 percent to 39 percent) while in Bihar, it was the lowest (16 percent to 22 percent), said the report.
Also, around 16 percent men in the country smoke tobacco while 30 percent consume alcohol, it said.
The report also said that around 22 percent men suffer from diabetes as compared to 19 percent women.
"It was significantly associated with (being) overweight, obesity, physical inactivity and hyperlipidaemia (abnormally elevated levels of any or all lipids or lipoproteins in the blood)," it said.
The report was based on comprehensive urban nutrition survey that was carried out by NNMB during 2015-16.
The study was conducted on 1.72 lakh people from 52,577 households in 16 states in India for their socio-demographic status, anthropometry and clinical examination for nutritional deficiency signs, it said.
Anthropometry is the scientific study of the measurements and proportions of the human body.
The National Nutrition Monitoring Bureau (NNMB) was established in 1972 by the ICMR.