Association Between Abdominal Obesity, Body Mass Index, and Hypertension in India: Evidence From a Large Nationally Representative Data.

ABSTRACT: Hypertension prevalence is rising among individuals with abdominal obesity in Southeast Asia, including India, but the relationship between abdominal obesity, body mass index (BMI), and hypertension remains underexplored. This study examines the association between these factors in a nationally representative Indian population aged 20-54 years (males: N = 78 832; females: N = 559 059). We analyzed data from the National Family Health Survey 2019-21 (NFHS-5). Hypertension was defined as a systolic blood pressure (SBP) ≥ 140 mm Hg, diastolic blood pressure (DBP) ≥ 90 mm Hg, or use of blood pressure-lowering medication. Abdominal obesity was defined by waist-hip ratio (>0.90 for men, >0.85 for women). BMI categories were underweight (<18.5 kg/m²), normal (18.5-<25.0 kg/m²

SUBMITTER: Gupta RD 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11917740 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature