title: Sex differences in obesity prevalence and cardiometabolic factors among Western Alaska Native people.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Obesity is associated with increased risks of cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and other chronic diseases. Prevalence estimates for metabolic disorders are well documented in many populations, but Alaska Native groups are understudied. The Western Alaska Tribal Collaborative for Health Study combines data from three Alaska Native study cohorts to assess differences in obesity prevalence and associations with cardiometabolic risk factors by sex.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Analyses were based upon a sample of 3985 adult Yup'ik and Inupiat participants with a mean age of 40 years. Prevalence of obesity and metabolic risk factors was assessed according to nationally recognized guidelines. Regression analysis was used to evaluate the association between obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors, including lipids, blood pressure and glucose. The prevalence of obesity (BMI ≥ 30) was significantly higher in women (40%) than men (20%). Only 18.6% of men had a waist circumference (WC) > 102 cm, while 58% of women had a WC > 88 cm (p < 0.001). Women had higher mean HDL-C and triglyceride levels compared to men, while systolic and diastolic blood pressure, LDL-C, and glucose means were higher in men than in women. In multivariate analyses, BMI and WC were significantly associated with all of the cardiometabolic risk factors, although these associations were more pronounced in men than women.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The high prevalence of obesity and central adiposity among AN women is an important public health concern. Differences in associations between obesity and cardiometabolic risk factors by sex warrants further investigation to develop effective intervention programs.
authors.affiliation: Center for Alaska Native Health Research, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA. Electronic address: sehopkins2@alaska.edu.
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Hopkins
authors.affiliation: Department of Epidemiology, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, USA.
authors.forename: M A
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Austin
authors.affiliation: Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services, University of Alaska Anchorage, Anchorage, AK, USA.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Metzger
authors.affiliation: Division of Community Health Services, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, AK, USA.
authors.forename: K R
authors.initials: KR
authors.lastname: Koller
authors.affiliation: MedStar Health Research Institute, Hyattsville, MD, USA; Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Georgetown-Howard Universities, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Umans
authors.affiliation: Center for Alaska Native Health Research, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Kaufmann
authors.affiliation: Division of Community Health Services, Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium, Anchorage, AK, USA.
authors.forename: A W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Wolfe
authors.affiliation: MedStar Health Research Institute, Hyattsville, MD, USA; Center for Clinical and Translational Science, Georgetown-Howard Universities, Washington, DC, USA.
authors.forename: B V
authors.initials: BV
authors.lastname: Howard
authors.affiliation: Center for Alaska Native Health Research, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, AK, USA.
authors.forename: B B
authors.initials: BB
authors.lastname: Boyer
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000413:Alaska / Q000453:epidemiology; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001794:Blood Pressure; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000208:ethnology*; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D004930:Inuit; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000208:ethnology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000208:ethnology*; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D055105:Waist Circumference; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D014280:Triglycerides
keywords: Alaska Native; Cardiometabolic; Diabetes; Obesity