Impact of a community health promotion program on cardiovascular and metabolic indicators in rural older adults

Aging is associated with an increase in the prevalence of cardiovascular and metabolic diseases, aggravated by unhealthy lifestyles. Therefore, the objective of the study was to determine the effectiveness of an eight-week community health promotion program in older adults from the rural communities of Santa Rosa, Ambato-Ecuador. The program combined nutritional strategies, adapted physical activity, and stress management techniques aimed at fostering healthy habits and reducing risks associated with aging. A total of 60 participants were assessed using blood pressure, pulse, weight, and glucose indicators before and after the intervention, using a quantitative approach supported by technological tools such as Python and pandas for statistical analysis. The results showed a decrease in mean systolic pressure from 124.49 to 122.32 mmHg (-1.74%) and in body weight from 59.33 to 57.66 kg (-2.81%), suggesting improvements in blood pressure control and metabolism. Pulse also showed a slight reduction from 77.49 to 76.53 lpm (-1.25%), while diastolic pressure increased slightly from 70.69 to 73.32 mmHg (+3.72%) and glucose from 116.83 to 120.03 mg/dL (+2.74%), indicating the need for more personalized monitoring. In conclusion, the intervention proved effective in promoting the overall well-being of rural older adults, particularly highlighting the improvement in weight and blood pressure parameters. Nevertheless, strengthening nutrition education and maintaining continuous follow-up are recommended to optimize long-term outcomes.