Ethnic Differences in the Association between Body Mass Index and Hypertension

• Published in: American journal of epidemiology Vol. 155; no. 4; pp. 346 - 353
• Main Authors: Colin Bell, A., Adair, Linda S., Popkin, Barry M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Cary, NC Oxford University Press 15.02.2002; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Arterial hypertension. Arterial hypotension; Biological and medical sciences; Blood and lymphatic vessels; BMI; Body Mass Index; Cardiology. Vascular system; China - ethnology; Clinical manifestations. Epidemiology. Investigative techniques. Etiology; confidence interval; Cross-Sectional Studies; Ethnic Groups; Female; Humans; hypertension; Hypertension - ethnology; Hypertension - etiology; Male; Medical sciences; Middle Aged; obesity; Obesity - ethnology; Obesity - etiology; Philippines - ethnology; Prevalence; Risk Factors; Sex Factors; United States - ethnology; Asia; China; United States; Philippines; Human; Hypertension; Body mass index; Risk factor; Cardiovascular disease; Epidemiology; Ethnic group; Public health
• ISSN: 0002-9262; 1476-6256; 0002-9262
• DOI: 10.1093/aje/155.4.346

Interest in ethnicity-specific definitions of obesity has been hindered by a lack of data clarifying whether or not obesity-related comorbid conditions occur at different levels of body mass index (BMI) (weight (kg)/height (m)2) in different ethnic groups. The objective of this study was to examine ethnic differences in the strength of the association between BMI and hypertension. Cross-sectional data obtained from adults aged 30–65 years in China (1997, n = 3,423), the Philippines (1998, n = 1,929), and the United States (1988–1994, n = 7,957) were used. Higher BMI was associated with a higher prevalence of hypertension in all ethnic groups. However, at BMI levels less than 25, prevalence difference figures suggested a stronger association between BMI and hypertension in Chinese men and women but not in Filipino women, compared with non-Hispanic Whites. Non-Hispanic Blacks and Filipino women had a higher prevalence of hypertension at every level of BMI compared with non-Hispanic Whites and Mexican Americans. These ethnic differences in the strength of association between BMI and hypertension and in underlying prevalence warrant further investigation into the use of ethnicity-specific BMI cutoffs in clinical settings to more accurately identify individuals at risk from obesity.