DOI: 10.1097/01.hjh.0000298989.64150.f6

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Issn Print: 0263-6352

Publication Date: 2007/12/01


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Obesity and high blood pressure in French West Indies women: some difference according to definition of obesity - BMI or abdominal obesity

A Atallah; J Inamo; T Lang; L Larabi; G Chatellier; J-E Rozet; R De Gaudemaris

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Author Information: Centre Hospitalier de la Basse-Terre, Guadeloupe (FWI), 97100

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Excerpt

Objectives: To compare prevalence of abdominal obesity with obesity defined as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 in a West Indies population, and to define the relation between obesity and hypertension.
Methods: A cross-sectional study of 2420 consecutive unemployed subjects referred for check-up in the two health centres of Guadeloupe, a French Caribbean island.
Height and weight were measured and the body mass index (BMI) was calculated as weight/height2 (kg/m2). Obesity was defined as BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2 and excess weight as BMI ≥ 25 kg/m2 and < 30 kg/m2. Abdominal obesity was defined as waist measurement more than 88 cm for women and more than 102 cm for men.
Results:
Conclusion: A high prevalence of obesity was observed in this Caribbean population suggesting the interest of primary prevention in the Caribbean. In women, abdominal obesity (waist measurement > 88 cm) was more frequent than obesity defined as BMI > 30 kg/m2.*
In a multivariate analysis, obesity is an independent risk factor of hypertension (odds-ratio = 3), however the definition of obesity.

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