A comparative study of adiposity and central body fat distribution of normotensive and hypertensive older Bengalee Hindu women of Calcutta, India.

A comparative investigation of 134 normotensive and 145 hypertensive Bengalee Hindu older women (aged 50 years and above) of Kalighat, South Calcutta, India, was undertaken to study differences in levels of adiposity and central body fat distribution between the two groups. Results revealed that hypertensive (HT) subjects had significantly (p < 0.05) greater (age controlled) mean values of weight, body mass index (BMI), minimum waist circumference (MWC) and waist-hip ratio (WHR) compared with normotensive (NT) subjects. Percentile distributions for all these variables and index showed consistently higher values among the HT patients as compared with NT subjects. The frequency of central obesity (WHR > 0.85) was significantly higher (chi2 = 5.16178, p < 0.025) among HT (62.8%) patients compared with NT (49.3%) subjects. Multiple regression analyses revealed that BMI and WHR had significant effect (age controlled) on SBP (BMI: p < 0.01; WHR: p < 0.005) and DBP (BMI: p < 0.05; WHR: p < 0.005). The significant impact (p < 0.05) of WHR on SBP and DBP remained even after controlling for BMI. Thus, these results indicated that hypertensive individuals have significantly enhanced levels of central body fat distribution (WHR), irrespective of their age and level of generalized adiposity (BMI), compared with normotensive subjects.