BMI CHANGES IN HYPERTENSIVE PATIENTS BEFORE AND DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC

Changes in Body Mass Index (BMI) are the main predictors in controlling blood pressure, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article aims to measure changes in BMI before and during COVID-19 for controlling obesity in hypertensive. This is a further analysis data from the Bogor Cohort Study on NCD Risk Factor and the study of the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic Period on Health and Mental Health Service Efforts in 2020 conducted 750 hypertension cases during 2011-2018. The dependent variable is the change in BMI which is categorized stable, decreasing, increasing based on the cut off of the mean difference in BMI. The independent variables include demographic characteristics, ownership of Health Insurance, behavior, disease status, monitoring of blood pressure, height and body weight and therapy. Data were analyzed by multinomial logistic regression. The proportion of hypertensive who experienced changes in BMI was stable, decreased and increased, respectively by 24.5 percent, 49 percent and 26.5 percent. Factors associated with changes in BMI decreased in hypertensive patients were obesity with a risk of 1.7 times (95% CI 1.1-2.6) and stress 4.8 times (95% CI 1.4-16). The factor of increased BMI changes were obesity with a protective risk of 0.6 times (95% CI 0.4-0.9), sitting more than 5.5 hours had a risk of 1.6 (95 % CI 1.1 - 2.6), and smoking >= 200 cigarettes/day has a 4.2 times risk (95% CI 1.4 - 13.0). Suggestions need efforts to maintain a stable BMI by doing physical activity, managing stress and not smoking.