Relationship between obesity and cardiovascular risk factors in adults living in central Iran: results of Isfahan healthy heart program

As previous studies on the association between obesity and cardiovascular [CVD] risk factors have been made in limited populations, this study was performed to determine the association in 3 cities in the central parts of Iran. In this cross-sectional study, data collected in the1st phase of the Isfahan Healthy Heart Program [IHHP], involving 12514 subjects "19 years old, conducted during 2000-2001, in Isfahan and the Central Provinces of Iran, were analyzed. Fasting blood sugar [FBS], 2-hour post-load plasma glucose [2hpp], serum lipid profile, anthropometric parameters and blood pressure were determined by standard methods. FBS, 2hpp, serum lipids fractions [except for HDL-C] and blood pressure had significant positive relations with body mass index [BMI] and waist circumference [WC] [all p-values < 0.001]. As compared to the 1st quartile of WC, odds ratios [OR; 95% CI] of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia in the 4th quartile were 2.8 [1.2-3.3], 3 [1.6-4.3] and 2.4 [1.9-3.1] in men and 2.5 [1.8-3.4], 2.7 [1.3-3.8] and 2.5 [2-3.2] in women, respectively. Also, ORs [95% CI] of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemic in 4th quartile of BMI, as compared to the 1st, were 1.6 [1.2-2], 2.8 [1.7-3.9] and 3 [2.4-3.8] in men and 1.9 [1.4-2.4], 2.6 [1.4-3.7] and 1.6 [1.2-2] in women, respectively. ORs of these risk facrors increased with increasing WC and BMI. Therefore, it is concluded that both obesity indicators increase the chance of CVD risk factors