title: [Association between abdominal circumference and hypertension among women: the Pró-Saúde Study].
abstract: This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of hypertension according to levels of abdominal circumference (AC) and body mass index (BMI, expressed as kg/m(2)) among public employees at a university in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Cross-sectional data were obtained for 1,743 non-pregnant women aged 24-69 years participating in the Pró-Saúde Study. Underweight women and those with BMI > 35 kg/m(2) were excluded. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure >140 mmHg or diastolic > 90 mmHg or the use of anti-hypertensive drugs. Age-adjusted prevalence rates for hypertension were calculated considering two strata of AC (normal: < 88 cm; high: > 88 cm) and three levels of BMI (normal: 18.5-24.9 kg/m(2); overweight: 25.0-29.9 kg/m(2); and obesity I: 30.0-34.9 kg/m(2)). Among normal-weight women, participants with high AC showed a two-fold higher prevalence of hypertension as compared to those with AC < 88 cm (18% vs. 8%, p < 0.05). Routine measurement of AC, in addition to BMI, could contribute to early identification of hypertension in women.
authors.affiliation: Instituto de Nutrição, Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro, Rua São Francisco Xavier 524, Rio de Janeiro, RJ, Brazil. hasselm@ims.uerj.br
authors.forename: Maria Helena
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Hasselmann
authors.forename: Eduardo
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Faerstein
authors.forename: Guilherme L
authors.initials: GL
authors.lastname: Werneck
authors.forename: Dóra
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Chor
authors.forename: Claudia S
authors.initials: CS
authors.lastname: Lopes
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000502:physiology; D015992:Body Mass Index; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology*; D008137:Longitudinal Studies; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio / Q000009:adverse effects*