Waist circumference as a measurement of obesity in the Netherlands Antilles; associations with hypertension and diabetes mellitus

• Published in: European journal of clinical nutrition Vol. 58; no. 8; pp. 1159 - 1165
• Main Authors: Grievink, L, Alberts, J.F, O'Niel, J, Gerstenbluth, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basingstoke Nature Publishing 01.08.2004; Nature Publishing Group
• Subjects: Adult; Age Factors; Aged; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; Body Constitution - physiology; Cardiology. Vascular system; Clinical manifestations. Epidemiology. Investigative techniques. Etiology; Confidence Intervals; Cross-Sectional Studies; Diabetes; Diabetes mellitus; Diabetes Mellitus - epidemiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - epidemiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - etiology; Education; Educational Status; Evaluation; Federal government; Female; Health Surveys; Humans; Hypertension; Hypertension - epidemiology; Hypertension - etiology; Income; Male; Medical sciences; Men; Metabolic diseases; Middle Aged; Netherlands Antilles - epidemiology; Obesity; Obesity - diagnosis; Obesity - epidemiology; Obesity - physiopathology; Odds Ratio; Population; Population studies; Risk Factors; Risk groups; Sex Factors; Surveys and Questionnaires; Women; Central America; Netherlands Antilles; America; West Indies; Netherlands; Endocrinopathy; High risk; Prognosis; Prevalence; Questionnaire; Size; Cardiovascular disease; waist-to-hip ratio; Epidemiology; Adult; Waist hip ratio; Public health; Nutritional status; BMI; Human; Hypertension; Obesity; waist circumference; Diabetes mellitus; Nutrition disorder; Medical screening; Hip; Indicator; Weight; Caribbean
• ISSN: 0954-3007; 1476-5640
• DOI: 10.1038/sj.ejcn.1601944

Objectives: To evaluate waist circumference (WC) as a screening tool for obesity in a Caribbean population. To identify risk groups with a high prevalence of (central) obesity in a Caribbean population, and to evaluate associations between (central) obesity and self-reported hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Design: Cross-sectional. Setting: Population-based study. Subjects: A random sample of adults (18y or older) was selected from the Population Registries of three islands of the Netherlands Antilles. Response was over 80%. Complete data were available for 2025 subjects. Intervention: A questionnaire and measurements of weight, height, waist and hip. Main outcome measurement: Central obesity indicator (WC greater than or equal to 102 cm men, greater than or equal to 88 cm women). Results: WC was positively associated with age (65-74 y vs 18-24 y) in men (OR = 7.7, 95% CI 3.4-17.4) and women (OR = 6.4, 95% CI 3.2-12.7). Women with a low education had a higher prevalence of central obesity than women with a high education (OR = 0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.7). However, men with a high income had a higher prevalence of a central obesity than men with a low income (OR = 1.7, 95% CI = 1.1-2.6). WC was the strongest independent obesity indicator associated with self-reported hypertension (OR = 1.7, 95% CI 1.4-2.0) and diabetes mellitus (OR = 1.6, 95% CI 1.3-1.9). Conclusions: The identified risk groups were women aged 55-74y, women with a low educational level and men with a high income. WC appears to be the major obesity indicator associated with hypertension and diabetes mellitus.