Arturo Jiménez-Cruz, MD PhD, Master of Nutrition, Universidad Autónoma de Baja California (Tijuana), Calzada Tecnológico 14418, Tijuana, 22390, Mexico, 619 6568157, ajimenez@uabc.mx, Rufina Rubio-Castro, MD, Internal Medicine, Instituto Mexicano del Seguro Social, paseo Tijuana 1204 D-6, Tijuana, Baja California, 22320, Mexico, and Montserrat Bacardi-Gascon, MD, Nutrition, Medical School, Calzada Tecnologico No14418, Tijuana, 22390, Mexico.

Background: The prevalence of overweight, obesity, and metabolic syndrome is increasing rapidly among Mexican adults. Objective: The aim of the study was to assess the prevalence and characteristics of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia among policemen at a Mexico-US border city. Method: During the year 2003, all police officers from Tijuana were required clinical evaluation, which included the measurment of weight, height, body mass index (BMI), fasting blood glucose, blood pressure, cholesterol, and tryglicerides. We reviewed all clinical records. Overweight was defined as BMI =or > 25 and 29.9 kg/m2, while obesity was BMI =or > 30 kg/m2. Hypercholesterolemia was defined as cholesterol levels equal or higher than 200mg/dl, hypertrigliceridemia as tryglicerides levels equal or higher than 150mg/dl, systolic blood pressure equal or higher than 130mm/Hg, diastolic blood pressure equal or higher than 85 mm/Hg, impaired fasting glucose or diabetes was defined as fasting blood glucose levels equal or higher than 100mg/dl. Results: We reviewed the clinical records of 530 policemen aged 20 to 64 years old. Prevalence of overweight was 48%, and obesity was 42%. The second most prevalent abnormality Systolic and/or diastolic hypertension was found in 59%, the third was hypercholesterolemia(57%), followed by hypertrigliceridemia(52%), and impaired fasting glucose or diabetes was found in 12%. Discussion: The prevalence of coronary heart disease risks among Mexican policemen is very high, and it is higher than previously reported in low-income Mexico City urban population. We recomend a monitoring system, including preventive intervention programs.

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