title: Association between obesity and cardiometabolic health risk in Asian-Canadian sub-groups.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To quantify and compare the association between the World Health Organizations' Asian-specific trigger points for public health action ['increased risk': body mass index (BMI) ≥23 kg/m2, and; 'high risk': BMI ≥27.5 kg/m2] with self-reported cardiovascular-related conditions in Asian-Canadian sub-groups.
  
  
  METHODS
  Six cycles of the Canadian Community Health Survey (2001-2009) were pooled to examine BMI and health in Asian sub-groups (South Asians, Chinese, Filipino, Southeast Asians, Arabs, West Asians, Japanese and Korean; N = 18 794 participants, ages 18-64 y). Multivariable logistic regression, adjusting for demographic, lifestyle characteristics and acculturation measures, was used to estimate the odds of cardiovascular-related health (high blood pressure, heart disease, diabetes, 'at least one cardiometabolic condition') outcomes across all eight Asian sub-groups.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Compared to South Asians (OR = 1.00), Filipinos had higher odds of having 'at least one cardiometabolic condition' (OR = 1.29, 95% CI: 1.04-1.62), whereas Chinese (0.63, 0.474-0.9) and Arab-Canadians had lower odds (0.38, 0.28-0.51). In ethnic-specific analyses (with 'acceptable' risk weight as the referent), 'increased' and 'high' risk weight categories were the most highly associated with 'at least one cardiometabolic condition' in Chinese ('increased': 3.6, 2.34-5.63; 'high': 8.9, 3.6-22.01). Compared to normal weight South Asians, being in the 'high' risk weight category in all but the Southeast Asian, Arab, and Japanese ethnic groups was associated with approximately 3-times the likelihood of having 'at least one cardiometabolic condition'.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Differences in the association between obesity and cardiometabolic health risks were seen among Asian sub-groups in Canada. The use of WHO's lowered Asian-specific BMI cut-offs identified obesity-related risks in South Asian, Filipino and Chinese sub-groups that would have been masked by traditional BMI categories. These findings have implications for public health messaging, especially for ethnic groups at higher odds of obesity-related health risks.
authors.affiliation: School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Bethune College, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Jason X
authors.initials: JX
authors.lastname: Nie
authors.affiliation: School of Kinesiology and Health Science, York University, Bethune College, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Chris I
authors.initials: CI
authors.lastname: Ardern
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D018912:Arabs; D044466:Asian People; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002170:Canada; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000209:etiology / Q000473:pathology; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D050177:Overweight / Q000150:complications / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000473:pathology; D012307:Risk Factors; D044465:White People