ASSOCIATION OF LIFESTYLE HABITS AND PERCEIVED STRESS WITH CENTRAL BLOOD PRESSURE AND VASCULAR PARAMETERS IN MEDICAL STUDENTS

Abstract

This article aimed to associate lifestyle habits, perceived stress, and nutritional status with central systolic blood pressure (cSBP), pulse wave velocity (PWV), and augmentation index (AIx) in medical students. A cross-sectional observational study was conducted with 141 students from a private institution in Maceió-AL. Sociodemographic and health data, anthropometric measurements, physical activity and perceived stress questionnaires were obtained, in addition to non-invasive hemodynamic assessment by oscillometric method. Comparisons between categories were performed by analysis of variance, with a nominal significance level of 5%. cSBP differed according to the cardiovascular risk classification (p=0.03). PWV differed according to alcohol consumption (p=0.02), body mass index (BMI) categories (p<0.01), perceived stress (p=0.02), and cardiovascular risk (p<0.01). AIx differed according to alcohol consumption (p=0.01), physical activity (p<0.01), BMI categories (p=0.04), and perceived stress (p<0.01). The findings indicate exploratory associations between behaviors, perceived stress, and vascular parameters. The cross-sectional design and the limitations of the analyses preclude inferences of causality, temporal precedence, or diagnostic superiority. Longitudinal studies with confounding control are needed to clarify their clinical relevance.