Waist circumference as a measurement of obesity in the Netherlands Antilles; associations with hypertension and diabetes mellitus

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To evaluate waist circumference (WC) as a screening tool for obesity in a Caribbean population. To identify risk groups with a high prevalence of (central) obesity in a Caribbean population, and to evaluate associations between (central) obesity and self-reported hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Cross-sectional. Population-based study. A random sample of adults (18 y or older) was selected from the Population Registries of three islands of the Netherlands Antilles. Response was over 80%. Complete data were available for 2025 subjects. A questionnaire and measurements of weight, height, waist and hip. Central obesity indicator (WC > or =102 cm men, > or =88 cm women). WC was positively associated with age (65-74 y vs 18-24 y) in men (OR=7.7, 95% CI 3.4-17.4) and women (OR=6.4, 95% CI 3.2-12.7). Women with a low education had a higher prevalence of central obesity than women with a high education (OR=0.5, 95% CI 0.3-0.7). However, men with a high income had a higher prevalence of a central obesity than men with a low income (OR=1.7, 95% CI=1.1-2.6). WC was the strongest independent obesity indicator associated with self-reported hypertension (OR=1.7, 95% CI 1.4-2.0) and diabetes mellitus (OR=1.6, 95% CI 1.3-1.9). The identified risk groups were women aged 55-74 y, women with a low educational level and men with a high income. WC appears to be the major obesity indicator associated with hypertension and diabetes mellitus. Island Governments of Saba, St Eustatius and Bonaire, the Federal Government of the Netherlands Antilles, Dutch Directorate for Kingdom relationships.