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Four anthropometric indices and cardiovascular risk factors in Taiwan

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationships between four anthropometric measurements and cardiovascular risk factors in Taiwan.

DESIGN: The data was collected from four nationwide health screen centers in Taiwan from 1998 to 1999.

SUBJECTS: A total of 38 556 subjects: 18 280 men and 20 276 women, mean age=37.0±11.1 y. None had any known major systemic diseases or were currently on medication.

MEASUREMENTS: Individual body weight, height, waist circumference (WC), and cardiovascular risk factors (blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, triglycerides, total cholesterol level, low-density and high-density-lipoprotein cholesterol level) were assessed and their relationships were examined.

RESULTS: In both sexes, with increasing body mass index (BMI), WC, WHpR (waist-to-hip ratio) and WHtR (waist-to-height ratio), there were significantly higher risks of hypertension, impaired fasting glucose, diabetes and dyslipidemia (P<0.001) in almost all age groups. In the age groups older than 65, however, the relationships were statistically inconsistent.

CONCLUSIONS: In Taiwan, the four anthropometric indexes (BMI, WC, WHpR, WHtR) are closely related to cardiovascular risk factors.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Family Medicine, Obesity Research Group, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan

    K-C Huang, W-Y Lin, L-T Lee, C-Y Chen, H Lo & H-H Hsia

  2. Department of Family Medicine, China Medical College Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

    W-Y Lin

  3. Health Care Administration, Chia-Nan University of Pharmacy and Science, Taipei, Taiwan

    H Lo

  4. MJ Health Screening Center, Taipei, Taiwan

    I-L Liu

  5. Graduate Institute of Preventive Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

    W-Y Shau

  6. Preventive Medicine, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan

    R-S Lin

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  1. K-C Huang
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Correspondence to K-C Huang.

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Huang, KC., Lin, WY., Lee, LT. et al. Four anthropometric indices and cardiovascular risk factors in Taiwan. Int J Obes 26, 1060–1068 (2002). https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802047

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/sj.ijo.0802047

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