title: Prevalence of adiposity and associated cardiometabolic risk factors in the Samoan genome-wide association study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To describe the prevalence of obesity-related noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) and associated risk factors in a sample of Samoan adults studied in 2010 as part of a genome-wide assocation study (GWAS) for obesity related traits.
  
  
  METHODS
  Anthropometric and biochemical data collected from n = 3,475 participants (n = 1,437 male; n = 2,038 female) aged 24.5 to <65 years were used to describe the prevalence of obesity, diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia within the study sample. One way analysis of variance, χ(2) tests, and binary logistic regression were used to identify differences in disease and risk factor prevalence by 10-year age group, gender, or by census region of residence.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Obesity was highly prevalent among the study sample; 64.6% of females and 41.2% of males were obese according to Polynesian cutoffs (BMI ≥ 32 kg/m(2) ). Females were less likely than males to have hypertension (31.7% vs. 36.7%) but equally likely to have diabetes (17.8% vs. 16.4%). With the exception of obesity and low HDL-cholesterol in females only, there were significant differences in the prevalence of all NCDs and associated risk factors by age group, with the oldest age group (55 to <65 years) most affected. In both sexes, residents of the Apia Urban Area were at significantly greater risk of obesity, diabetes, low HDL-cholesterol, and high triglycerides than residents of the more rural Savaii region.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The phenotypic characteristics of this sample provide evidence of a continuation of previously reported temporal trends toward obesity and its associated disorders. Attention must be paid to the critical NCD situation in Samoa.
authors.affiliation: Weight Control and Diabetes Research Center, The Miriam Hospital, Providence, Rhode Island; The Alpert Medical School, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island.
authors.forename: Nicola L
authors.initials: NL
authors.lastname: Hawley
authors.forename: Ryan L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Minster
authors.forename: Daniel E
authors.initials: DE
authors.lastname: Weeks
authors.forename: Satupaitea
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Viali
authors.forename: Muagututia Sefuiva
authors.initials: MS
authors.lastname: Reupena
authors.forename: Guangyun
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Sun
authors.forename: Hong
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Cheng
authors.forename: Ranjan
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Deka
authors.forename: Stephen T
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Mcgarvey
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity; D000328:Adult; D004777:Environment; D005260:Female; D014644:Genetic Variation; D055106:Genome-Wide Association Study; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D014905:Independent State of Samoa / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D008659:Metabolic Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology; D015995:Prevalence; D012307:Risk Factors; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D055815:Young Adult