Issue 213 Item 13 Hypertension Related to Body Weight

Jul 1, 2004
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A positive correlation was observed between blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) in both genders. In a cross-sectional analysis published in the May issue of the American Journal of Hypertension, Dr. Yehonatan Sharabi, of the National Institutes of Health, in Bethesda, Maryland, and colleagues evaluated a population of young adults, with specific focus on the role of gender.

The researchers examined data from the Young Adult Periodic Examination in Israel database of healthy young people (ages 25 to 45 years) who were undergoing periodic examinations. A total of 38,558 subjects (mean age 36 years) were examined between 1991 and 1999.

The team assessed the correlation between blood pressure and weight with adjustments for age, sex, physical activity, cigarette smoking, and fasting blood glucose levels.

A positive correlation was observed between blood pressure and body mass index (BMI) in both genders. The correlation spanned the spectrum of BMI values. BMI accounted for 8% to 10% of blood pressure variance with the odds ratio for hypertension increased by 16% for each additional unit of BMI. Each year increase in age increased the odds ratio by 6%.

"The relative propensity of men toward hypertension, typical of this age group, was less pronounced at higher BMI values," Dr. Sharabi and colleagues report.

Dr. Sharabi stated that, "Young obese women loose their gender-related protective advantage in terms of the prevalence of hypertension.

"The public should be aware that the deleterious effects of obesity come early on," Dr. Sharabi continued, and young women should be particularly aware that hypertension might result if they are overweight. Am J Hypertens 2004;17:404-408.

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