Obes Res. 1996 May;4(3):221-8. doi: 10.1002/j.1550-8528.1996.tb00540.x.
We have tested the hypothesis that the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and other cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors as well as socioeconomic status is different in five Latin American populations (where BMI is high) and seven Asian populations (where BMI is low). Random samples of approximately 200 males aged between 35 and 65 years were selected from 12 general or industrial populations in Latin America and Asia. Standardized measures of height, weight, blood pressure, blood cholesterol, cigarette smoking, highest level of completed education, occupation and income were made. The mean BMI (kg/m2) was 25.3 (SD 3.74) in the five Latin American populations (which were all urban), 22.2 (SD 3.24) in the four Asian urban populations and 21.4 (SD 3.33) in the three Asian rural populations. Despite the differences in mean BMI levels, statistically significant positive relationships of a similar magnitude were seen between BMI and blood pressure levels in Latin America and Asia. Similarly, there was a statistically significant positive relationship found between BMI and total cholesterol in both Latin American and Asian urban samples, but of a higher magnitude in Asian rural samples. Current cigarette smokers had significantly lower BMI than ex-smokers or never smokers in Latin America and Asia. In Asia, there were statistically significant positive associations between BMI and levels of education and income as well as with occupation-these relationships were stronger for education and occupation in rural than in urban samples. There were no statistically significant associations between BMI and these measures of socioeconomic status in Latin America. The similarities of the associations between BMI and blood pressure and cholesterol levels in the two groups suggest that efforts to reduce BMI in all populations is likely to be important in reducing risk of CVD. Preventing the future rise of BMI in populations where BMI is still relatively low is a high priority. The difference in association between BMI and socioeconomic status in the different population groups requires study of the way sociocultural factors influence behavior that determines BMI levels.
在五个拉丁美洲人群（BMI较高）和七个亚洲人群（BMI较低）中，体重指数（BMI）与其他心血管疾病（CVD）风险因素以及社会经济地位之间的关系有所不同。从拉丁美洲和亚洲的12个普通或工业人群中选取了年龄在35至65岁之间的约200名男性作为随机样本。对身高、体重、血压、血液胆固醇、吸烟情况、最高学历、职业和收入进行了标准化测量。五个拉丁美洲人群（均为城市人群）的平均BMI（kg/m²）为25.3（标准差3.74），四个亚洲城市人群的平均BMI为22.2（标准差3.24），三个亚洲农村人群的平均BMI为21.4（标准差3.33）。尽管平均BMI水平存在差异，但在拉丁美洲和亚洲，BMI与血压水平之间均呈现出具有统计学意义的相似强度的正相关关系。同样，在拉丁美洲和亚洲城市样本中，BMI与总胆固醇之间也存在具有统计学意义的正相关关系，但在亚洲农村样本中的相关强度更高。在拉丁美洲和亚洲，当前吸烟者的BMI显著低于曾经吸烟者或从不吸烟者。在亚洲，BMI与教育水平、收入以及职业之间存在具有统计学意义的正相关关系——这些关系在农村样本中对于教育和职业而言比在城市样本中更为强烈。在拉丁美洲，BMI与这些社会经济地位指标之间不存在具有统计学意义的关联。两组人群中BMI与血压和胆固醇水平之间关联的相似性表明，在所有人群中努力降低BMI对于降低CVD风险可能很重要。在BMI仍然相对较低的人群中防止BMI未来上升是一项高度优先事项。不同人群组中BMI与社会经济地位之间关联的差异需要研究社会文化因素影响决定BMI水平行为的方式。
