Sixteen‐year longitudinal trends in waist circumference and their impact on blood pressure in China Cohort

Abstract

To evaluate the association among waist circumference (WC), changes in waist circumference (ΔWC) and changes in blood pressure, we used prospective data from the China Health and Nutrition Survey of 3077 subjects aged 18–45 years old, whose blood pressure was normal at baseline and who did not take anti‐hypertension drugs and was reexamined at least one more time in follow‐up years. Controlled for age, BMI, blood pressure at baseline and changes in BMI, we used multivariate analysis of variance for longitudinal, repeated‐measures and random effects linear model to analyze changes in systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) among WC and ΔWC groups. SBP increased 8.9 mmHg in low WC group compared with 14.9 mmHg in high WC group (P<0.001) in men and 11.3 mmHg and 20.6 mmHg, respectively (P<0.001) in women. For DBP, the same results showed an increase of 5.9 mmHg in low WC group vs. 9.9 mmHg in high WC group (P<0.001) in men and 5.8 mmHg vs. 11.1mmHg in women, respectively. SBP and DBP increased higher in both high and low ΔWC gain groups than in WC stable or decrease groups. Association between WC or ΔWC and blood pressure was statistically significant. Independent of BMI, among Chinese adults central distributed body fat at baseline and an increase in central body fat can independently increase SBP and DBP in both men and women.Supported by NIH (R01‐HD30880) and Fogarty International Center, NIH (5D43TW007709).