Study to assess predictive value of waist to height ratio and body mass index as a risk factor of hypertension and type 2 diabetes mellitus

Abstract

Background: Hypertension and diabetes have become important world-wide public-health challenges. Assessment of risk for Hypertension and Diabetes requires identifying an easy tool that can be used by health workers in screening programmes. To compare predictive value of WHtR against BMI in assessing risk of Hypertension and Diabetes. Methods: A case-control study was carried out at MB Hospital and Urban Health Training Centre (UHTC) attached to RNT Medical College, Udaipur, Rajasthan. Selected individuals were examined and interviewed using semi-structured questionnaire. Anthropometric measurements were carried out. Odds ratios were derived for quantitative analysis. Results: Observed proportion of BMI ≥ 25 kg /m2 was 60.4% in type 2 diabetes cases, whereas 39.6% in controls. Odds ratio was 2.383. Observed proportion of BMI ≥ 25 kg/ m2 was 66.7% in HTN cases, whereas 33.3% in controls with a Odds ratio of 3.484. An Odds ratio of 3.151, showed existence of strong association of WHtR above 0.5 with hypertension. Observed proportion of WHtR above 0.5 was 56.3% in type 2 diabetes cases, whereas 43.7% in controls and Odds ratio was 4.292. Conclusions: The OR of WHtR in diabetes (4.292) in compared to OR of BMI (2.303), shows the strength of association of WHtR as an alarming risk factor for diabetes than BMI; whereas an equivalent strength of association was observed for hypertension. Study favours the use of anthropometric measures especially WHtR for predicting type 2 diabetes mellitus and hypertension.

A Community-Based Study on Waist-to-Height Ratio: An Indicator for Systolic Hypertension in a Rural Community of Hilly Region

“…This difference may be the probable cause of the association of SH with WHtR. In ROC, an AUC for WHtR was 0.592 and for BMI was 0.514, which concluded that WHtR could be a better indicator for diagnosing hypertension than BMI among the study population in the present study, which could be substantiated with results of previous studies [28][29][30].…”

Can Dietary Method Replace the 24 hours Urinary Sodium Excretion Method of Assessing Sodium Consumption at Population Level?

“…Figures generated indicated that all mean anthropometric measures were towards higher sides both in men and women. Evidences reported the association of extended anthropometry measurements with hypertension [20,21], cardiovascular risk and metabolic syndromes [22][23][24], heart failure [25,26] and diabetes [26,27]. A WHO expert consultation [14] reviewed scientific evidence that suggested Asian populations have different associations between BMI, percentage of body fat, and health risks than do European populations.…”