Comparison of anthropometric characteristics between normotensive and hypertensive individuals among a population of Bengalee Hindu elderly men in Calcutta, India

A comparative investigation of 99 normotensive and 111 hypertensive Bengale e Hindu elderly men (aged 55 years and above) of Kalighat, South Calcutta, India, was undertaken to study differences in levels of adiposiry, body fat distribution and body composition between these two groups. Results reveal ed that there were significant differences between normotensive (NT) and hy pertensive (HT) subjects in the mean values fbr weight (p < 0.05), body mas s index (BMI, p < 0.01); waist (p < 0.001) and hip circumferences (p < 0.05 ); waist-hip ratio (WHR p < 0.001), conicity index (CI, p < 0.01) and fat f ree mass (FFM, p < 0.001). Percentile distributions for all these variables and indices showed consistently higher values among the HT patients as com pared with NT subjects. However, the frequency of obesity (BMI greater than or equal to 25) was similar (NT = 6.1%, HT = 11.7%) in both groups. Thus, these results indicated that there existed significant differences in centr al adiposity and FFM between NT and HT subjects although their level of obe sity was similar. Hypertensive individuals have significantly enhanced leve ls of central body fat distribution.