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Waist-to-Hip ratio and blood pressure in the rural population from Cumbe and Quingeo, Ecuador

Abstract:

Objective: The objective of this study was to determine the degree of association between the Waist-to-Hip ratio (WHr) and hypertension diagnosis in subjects from the Cumbe and Quingeo populations, Ecuador. Materials and methods: A cross-sectional, descriptive study was carried out in 904 individuals of both sexes selected by a multistage random sampling. Blood pressure was classified according to JNC-7 and WHr was classified in tertiles according to gender (Women: Tertil 1: <0.85, Tertil 2: 0.85-0.91, Tertil 3: ≥0.92 - Men: Tertil 1: <0.89, Tertil 2: 0.89-0.95, Tertil 3: ≥0.96). Results: Of the 904 subjects evaluated, 62.1% (n=561) were women, the factors associated with higher WHr values were age groups (χ 2 =18.02, p<0.01), subjects with diabetes mellitus family history (χ 2 =5.99, p=0.05) and blood pressure classification, specifically the presence of hypertension (χ 2 =13.21, p=0.01). The WHr was higher in men >45 years and in women with diabetes mellitus family history. Conclusions: The WHr is an anthropometric parameter useful for abdominal obesity quantification, which is associated with the aging process, hypertension and diabetes mellitus family history. Thus is very important to measure them in these groups of higher metabolic risk.