FREQUENCY RATE OF OBESITY AND LOW MOBILITY IN NORTH AMERICAN AND IRANIAN STROKE PATIENTS

Abstract   INTRODUCTION: Obesity and low mobility are among the risk factors of stroke and cardiovascular diseases. A pilot double-center study evaluated frequency rate of obesity and low mobility in patients with ischemic stroke.   METHODS: This prospective clinical study was conducted on ۱۰۰ consecutive stroke patients in Mackenzie hospital, Canada and ۱۰۰ consecutive stroke patients in Ghaem hospital, Iran in ۲۰۰۷. The patients were age- and sex- matched. Diagnosis of ischemic stroke was made by stroke neurologists. Obesity and low mobility was detected based on the standard method in the two studied groups. Chi-Square and Fisher tests served for statistical analysis and P < ۰.۰۵ was declared as significant.   RESULTS: ۹۲ males and ۱۰۸ females with ischemic stroke were investigated. Obesity was present in ۲۶% of the Canadians and ۲۱% of Iranian stroke patients, df = ۱, P = ۰.۴۰۳. Low mobility was reported in ۲۹% of Canadian and ۵% of Iranian stroke patients, df = ۱, P < ۰.۰۰۰۱. The frequency rate of obesity was not significantly different in the two groups and in each gender separately (P > ۰.۰۵), while the difference was significant for low mobility, P < ۰.۰۵.   CONCLUSIONS: There is no significant difference in frequency rate of obesity between Canadian and Iranian stroke patients. However, low mobility is significantly more frequent in the old Canadian individuals with stroke. Keywords: Obesity, Stroke, Race.