ABSTRACT
OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between hypertension prevalence and the four commonest anthropometric measurements for obesity(body mass index(BMI), wasit-hip ratio(WHR), waist circumference(WC) and body fat in Korean adults. METHODS: We studied the cross-sectional association of the anthropometric indices and blood pressure in 1,197 individuals( who were participants in the population-based cohort study). Hypertension was defined as blood pressure 160/95 mmHg or current use of antihypertensive medication. Informations on life-style factors were obtained from personal interview. RESULTS: There were close associations between BMI, WHR and WC with blood pressure in both men and women. After age adjustment, BMI and WC showed significantly positive correlation with systolic and diastolic blood pressure levels in both men and women. Odds ratio(ORs) of being hypertensive were estimated comparing the highest to the lowest quantile, adjusting for age, smoking status, alcohol intake levels, education attainment. The simultaneously adjusted ORs of being hypertensive, comparing the highest vs the lowest categories, was for BMI 2.0(95% confidence interval(CI)=0.9-3.2) in men and 3.2 (95% CI=1.7-6.1) in women, for WC 2.1(95% CI=1.0-4.4) in men and 3.1(95% CI=1.6-5.9) in women, for fat(%) 4.2(95% CI=1.9-9.5) in men and 2.1(95% CI=1.2-3.6) in women. CONCLUSION: In addition to measures of overall obesity(BMI) as well as central obesity(WHR, WC), body fat(%) was independently associated with prevalence of hypertension. Among obesity indices, body fat was the most predictor variable in hypertensive state in male and BMI was in female.