Trends in the association between body mass index and blood pressure among 19-year-old men in Korea from 2003 to 2017

Abstract

The strength of association between the body mass index (BMI) and blood pressure (BP) varies with population and time. Therefore, identifying the trends in BMI-BP association in adolescents can help predict the upcoming metabolic and cardiovascular disease burden. For this reason, from physical examination data collected from 2003 to 2017, a total of 5,133,246 Korean men aged 19 years were assessed for the annual trends and changes in the BMI-BP association. During the 15-year period, the mean BMI increased from 22.5 to 23.5 kg/m2, and the prevalence of obesity increased from 16.7 to 21.4%. Meanwhile, the mean systolic BP (SBP) decreased from 122.8 to 122.3 mmHg in the first year and gradually increased to 125.9 mmHg afterward. The diastolic BP (DBP) decreased from 71.5 to 70.0 mmHg in the first 4 years and then rose to 74.8 mmHg in the following years. The association analysis between BMI and SBP resulted in an annual increase in the correlation coefficient (SBP: 0.257–0.495, DBP: 0.164–0.413). The regression coefficient similarly increased between 2003 and 2015 but slightly decreased between 2015 and 2017 (SBP: 0.896–1.569, DBP: 0.405–0.861). The BMI-BP association increased over time (coefficient of the interaction term > 0, P < 0.001). Moreover, as the BMI increased, the annual increase in BP and BP per unit BMI also increased. In conclusion, this study emphasized a continuous shift towards obesity in BMI distribution and intensifying BMI-BP association over time in young men. Further research on factors affecting this BMI-BP association is needed to fully validate the potential applications of this hypothesis.

The Relationships Between Blood Pb Levels and Blood Pressure Among Lead-Exposed Workers in China: A Repeated-Measure Study

“…In this repeated-measurement study, we calculated an annual mean increase in SBP of 0.98 mm Hg and an annual mean increase in DBP of 0.81 mm Hg for Pb workers from 2015 to 2017. One study from Korea pointed out that the annual mean increase in SBP was 0.22 mm Hg, and the annual mean increase in DBP was 0.24 mm Hg in the population of normal Korean men aged 19 years 39 . Their findings were much lower than those in our study, because the subjects in this study were occupational Pb workers, and theirs were the normal population.…”

“…One study from Korea pointed out that the annual mean increase in SBP was 0.22 mm Hg, and the annual mean increase in DBP was 0.24 mm Hg in the population of normal Korean men aged 19 years. 39 Their findings were much lower than those in our study, because the subjects in this study were occupational Pb workers, and theirs were the normal population. Another study from an occupational Pb exposure cohort concluded that a 10-μg/dL increase in blood Pb concentration was associated with a 0.9-mm Hg increase in SBP.…”

WITHDRAWN: Exposure to Artificial Light at Night in Adolescents and Subsequent Risk of Obesity in Young Adulthood: A Nationwide Population-Based Survey

“…Between 2003 and 2017, the prevalence of obesity among young adults increased from 16.7-21.4%. (Koh et al, 2022). Body mass index (BMI) tends to increase sharply during the transition from adolescence to adulthood and these increases have grown larger over time (Lee et al, 2011).…”

Hypertension: Is it a concern only among the overweight and obese Garo women of Kamrup district, Assam?

“…16 On the other hand, Koh et al mentioned in their paper that several studies have reported the inverse trend of increasing BMI with decreasing BP. 58 The capability of BMI to predict the risk of hypertension and CVD was doubted by few studies. 59.60 Though, we cannot ignore the fact that the underweight category also reported cases of SH (17.39%) and DH (26.96%).…”