Using Cluster Analysis to Identify Subgroups of College Students at Increased Risk for Cardiovascular Disease.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:  To examine the co-occurrence of cardiovascular risk factors and cluster subgroups of college students for cardiovascular risks.

METHODS: A cross sectional descriptive study was conducted using co-occurrence patterns and hierarchical clustering analysis in 158 college students.

RESULTS: The top co-occurring cardiovascular risk factors were overweight/obese and hypertension (10.8%, n = 17). Of the total 34 risk factors that co-occurred, 30 of them involved being overweight/obese. A six-cluster-solution was obtained, two clusters displayed elevated levels of lifetime and 30-year cardiovascular disease risks.

CONCLUSIONS: The hierarchical cluster analysis identified that single White males with a family history of heart disease, overweight/obese, hypertensive or diabetes, and occasionally (weekly) consumed red meat, take antihypertensive medication, and hyperlipidemia were considered the higher risk group compared to other subgroups.