BODY-MASS, FAT DISTRIBUTION AND CARDIOVASCULAR RISK-FACTORS IN A LEANPOPULATION OF SOUTH CHINA

The associations of body mass index and abdominal adiposity, represent ed by an elevated waist/hip circumference ratio, with cardiovascular r isk factors were examined in men and women, aged 28-69 years, from urb an and rural areas of Guangzhou, China. Mean body mass index ranged fr om 20.1 to 21.9 kg/m(2) across the four sex- and area-groups. Mean wai st/hip ratio was 0.84 in men and 0.80 in women. After accounting for a ge and body mass index, waist/hip ratio was associated negatively (p < 0.05) with fasting serum HDL cholesterol (both sexes), and positively with serum triglycerides (both sexes), total and LDL cholesterol (men only), uric acid (both sexes), glucose (women only), and mean systoli c blood pressure (woman only). Body mass index was associated in a sim ilar direction with most of these risk factors. These data confirm tha t abdominal adiposity is independently associated with cardiovascular disease risk factors, even in a lean Asian population.