Relationship between obesity and cardiovascular risk factors in adults living in central Iran: Results of Isfahan Healthy Heart Program

As previous studies on the association between obesity and cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors have been made in limited populations, this study was performed to determine the association in 3 cities in the central parts of Iran. In this cross-sectional study, data collected in the1st phase of the Isfahan Healthy Heart Program (IHHP), involving 12514 subjects ≥19 years old, conducted during 2000-2001, in Isfahan and the Central Provinces of Iran, were analyzed. Fasting blood sugar (FBS), 2-hour post-load plasma glucose (2hpp), serum lipid profile, anthropometric parameters and blood pressure were determined by standard methods. FBS, 2hpp, serum lipids fractions (except for HDL-C) and blood pressure had significant positive relations with body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) (all p-values<0.001). As compared to the 1st quartile of WC, odds ratios (OR; 95%CI) of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia in the 4th quartile were 2.8 (1.2-3.3), 3 (1.6-4.3) and 2.4 (1.9-3.1) in men and 2.5 (1.8-3.4), 2.7 (1.3-3.8) and 2.5 (2-3.2) in women, respectively. Also, ORs (95%CI) of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemic in 4th quartile of BMI, as compared to the 1st, were 1.6 (1.2-2), 2.8 (1.7-3.9) and 3 (2.4-3.8) in men and 1.9 (1.4-2.4), 2.6 (1.4-3.7) and1.6 (1.2-2) in women, respectively. ORs of these risk facrors increased with increasing WC and BMI. Therefore, it is concluded that both obesity indicators increase the chance of CVD risk factors.