title: Relationship of body compositional and nutritional parameters with blood pressure in adults.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Obesity has been regarded as a single best predictor and major controllable contributor to hypertension. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between body compositional and nutritional parameters with blood pressure in rural Bengalee adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anthropometric measures, blood pressure and nutritional parameters were measured in 522 rural Bengalee adults using standard protocols. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was carried out to identify cut-off values of body mass index (BMI) and percentage of body fat (BF%) as associated factors of hypertension and hypotension.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Most of the subjects were normotensive. However, a notable percentage had hypertension (males: 21.86%; females: 15.27%), although the prevalence of hypotension was low (males: 10.53%; females: 8.73%). Obesity indicators were significantly higher in hypertensive individuals than hypotensive and normotensive individuals. All anthropometric parameters and obesity indicators were significantly correlated (P < 0.001) with blood pressure. Blood pressure increased steadily from being underweight through to normal and then to overweight/obese individuals. There were significant differences in the percentage of hypertension and hypotension between nutritional categories. Blood pressure had significant positive correlation with energy, carbohydrate and fat intake, whereas protein and calcium were negatively associated with blood pressure. The suggested cut-off values of BMI and BF%, which were taken as associated factors of hypertension, were 21.86 kg m⁻² and 20.31%, and those of hypotension were 18.18 kg m⁻² and 13.3%, respectively.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  In lean rural Bengalee populations, high BMI levels may be associated with an increased risk of hypertension. The cut-off values of BMI and BF% in the present study suggested associated factors for cardiovascular risk factors and these values may be of help with respect to reducing mean population blood pressure levels.
authors.affiliation: Ergonomics and Sports Physiology Division, Department of Human Physiology with Community Health, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, West Bengal, India.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pal
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: De
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Sengupta
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Maity
authors.forename: P C
authors.initials: PC
authors.lastname: Dhara
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004032:Diet / Q000009:adverse effects*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D007022:Hypotension / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D007194:India / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D050177:Overweight / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012372:ROC Curve; D012307:Risk Factors; D012423:Rural Health; D012737:Sex Factors; D013851:Thinness / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: BMI; anthropometry; blood pressure; hypertension; nutrition