ASSOCIATION OF ANTHROPOMETRIC INDEXES WITH ELEVATED BLOOD-PRESSURE INBRITISH ADULTS

OBJECTIVE: To investigate which of six anthropometric: indices was mos t strongly associated with elevated blood pressure and frank hypertens ion in a representative population sample of young and middle-aged Bri tish adults. SUBJECTS: A representative random sample of British adult s (2712 men and 3279 women) aged between 18 and 64 y, who were residen t in England, Scotland and Wales, were studied in the 1984-85 Health a nd Lifestyle Survey. MEASUREMENTS: Following an interview where demogr aphic, health and lifestyle details were recorded, measurements of hei ght, weight and waist and hip circumference were made by a nurse at a home visit, where blood pressure and medication to control blood press ure were also recorded. BMI and the ratios of waist circumference to h eight (WHTR) and waist circumference to hip (WHR) were calculated. Res pondents with a blood pressure above 140 mm Hg (systolic) and/or 90 mm Hg (diastolic) or who were being treated for hypertension were classi fied as having elevated blood pressure. RESULTS: For men and women age d 18-39 and 40-64 y the prevalence of elevated blood pressure increase d across the quintiles of BMI, weight, waist, WHTR and WHR was P<0.001 for each, with waist and WHTR having the highest odds ratios. Waist a nd height adjusted for each other were independently related to the pr evalence of elevated blood pressure in 40-64 y old men and women. Heig ht, on its own, was inversely related (P<0.05) only in the 40-64 y old men. The age adjusted partial correlations between systolic and diast olic blood pressure measurements and the measurements of BMI, weight, waist, WHTR and WHR were close and significant, P<0.001 for each. The ranking and significance of the correlations were hardly affected by e xcluding the treated hypertensives. CONCLUSIONS: The prevalence of ele vated blood pressure was associated with quintiles of BMI, waist, WHTR , WHR and weight, with WHTR and WHR having the highest odds ratios. Wa ist and height were independently related to the prevalence of elevate d blood pressure.