Comparative evaluation of anthropometric measurements and prevalence of hypertension: community based cross-sectional study in rural male and female Cambodians

Yuki Shimotake; Etongola P Mbelambela; Sifa Mj Muchanga; Antonio F Villanueva; Sok Seng Yan; Marina Minami; Rie Shimomoto; Ambis Joelle Lumaya; Narufumi Suganuma

doi:10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04432

Comparative evaluation of anthropometric measurements and prevalence of hypertension: community based cross-sectional study in rural male and female Cambodians

Heliyon. 2020 Jul 17;6(7):e04432. doi: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2020.e04432. eCollection 2020 Jul.

Authors

Yuki Shimotake¹, Etongola P Mbelambela¹, Sifa Mj Muchanga², Antonio F Villanueva³, Sok Seng Yan⁴, Marina Minami¹, Rie Shimomoto⁵, Ambis Joelle Lumaya², Narufumi Suganuma¹

Affiliations

¹ Department of Environmental Medicine, Kochi University Kochi Medical School, Nankoku, Japan.
² Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics, University of Kinshasa, Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo.
³ EUCLID UN University (Public International Health), The Gambia and Washington, D.C, USA.
⁴ Royal School of Administration ATTN, Khan Chamkarmorn, Phnom penh, Cambodia.
⁵ Department of Nursing, Kochi University, Nankoku, Japan.

Abstract

Introduction: Hypertension is a major and preventable risk factor that can lead to cardiovascular disease. The extent that obesity impacts hypertension differs when using body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) or waist to height ratio (WHtR). This study aimed to determine the prevalence of hypertension and to compare several anthropometric measurements in the prediction of hypertension between males and females from Chet Borey district of Kratie province, in Cambodia.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 276 healthy adults aged 18 years or older, including 94 males and 182 females who visited the local health post of Kaoh chraeng in Kratie province from November 21 to 27, 2015. Systolic and diastolic blood pressures were measured. Anthropometric measures: Body mass index (BMI), as well as waist circumference (WC) and waist to height ratio (WHtR) were assessed to analyze adiposity indices. Multivariate analysis was performed to evaluate the association between anthropometric measures and hypertension among males and females after adjustment for confounders.

Results: Hypertension was more prevalent in males (38.3%) compared to females (26.4%). When considering adiposity indices, WC was higher in females than males (35.7% vs 10.6% females vs males), the same for WHtR (55.0% vs 30.9% females vs males). In the multivariate analysis, for males, in addition to high BMI [aOR 4.37 (1.01-18.81)], high WC [aOR 7.55 (1.42-39.99)] was associated with the risk of developing hypertension. Whereas for females, only WC [aOR 3.24 (1.54-6.83)] was associated with the concerned risk.

Conclusion: Prediction of hypertension using anthropometric measurements differs by sex and by the index used. In our population, BMI and WC appeared more appropriate for men while only WC was applicable to women. These results afford alternatives to hypertensive screening that may be useful tools for the majority of rural Cambodians since accessibility to health facilities is limited.

Keywords: Anthropometric measures; Blood pressure; Cambodia; Health sciences; Obesity; Public health.