HUGE PERCENTAGES of middle-aged and older men and women in the State have raised cholesterol levels and high blood pressure but are not on medication for it, according to a new survey published yesterday.
More than 1,200 adults from a nationally representative sample of people over the age of 45 were invited to have these risk factors for heart disease checked as part of the latest Slán survey.
The checks revealed that 74 per cent of women and 63 per cent of men aged 45 to 64 have raised cholesterol levels which are not being medically treated.
In addition, 27 per cent of women and 41 per cent of men in the same age group have raised blood pressure, which is not being medically treated.
In those aged over 65, some 42 per cent of men and 54 per cent of women have raised cholesterol that is not being treated, while some 37 per cent of men and 29 per cent of women in this age group have raised blood pressure but are not on medication for it.
Even among those on medication for raised cholesterol levels and high blood pressure, the surveyors found in many instances that the conditions were still uncontrolled.
Prof Hannah McGee, one of the authors of the survey, said the results in relation to blood pressure and cholesterol raised important questions for primary care and health screening.
Measurements taken during the check-ups showed 80 per cent of men and 71 per cent of women over the age of 45 are overweight, or are obese. This breaks down into 49 per cent of men over 45 being overweight and 31 per cent being obese, while 39 per cent of women over 45 years are overweight and 32 per cent are obese.
Data in relation to body size was also collected from almost 1,000 younger adults aged 18 to 44.
This established that 41 per cent of men in this age group were overweight and 16 per cent were obese, while 24 per cent of women in the group were overweight and 17 per cent were obese.
The findings may not be all that surprising when levels of physical activity reported by some 10,000 adults who were surveyed through face-to-face interviews is considered. Over one-fifth of the population (some 22 per cent) reported that they were physically inactive.
Another 24 per cent reported that they engaged in some physical activity, but not at a level great enough to be considered physically active.
Being physically active was defined as taking part in exercise or sport two to three times a week for at least 20 minutes, or engaging in general activities like walking, cycling or dancing four to five times a week, accumulating to at least 30 minutes per day.
The most common reason given by men and women across all social classes and most age groups for being physically inactive was that they had no time to exercise. Some 41 per cent gave this as their reason.
Minister of State at the Department of Health with responsibility for health promotion, Pat "The Cope" Gallagher said it was "very worrying" that such a high proportion of people were saying they had no time to exercise.
The overall findings of the report were "a wake-up call" to the entire population, he added.
The Slán surveyors also looked at the population's eating habits and found that people over-consume foods high in fats and sugars, and under-consume foods high in calcium such as milk, cheese and yogurt.
People were also found not to eat enough cereals, bread and potatoes. We also add salt too readily to meals when cooking and eating them.
On a more positive note, 65 per cent of the population were found to be consuming the recommended five daily portions of fruit and vegetables.