The Associations Between Body Mass Index and Hypertension Subtypes

ObjectiveTo examine the relationships between body mass index and isolated systolic hypertension （ISH）, isolated diastolic hypertension （IDH） and systolic-diastolic hypertension （SDH） in Chinese adult population.Methods We analyzed complete data from a nationally representative sample of Chinese adults in 14 124 participants not on antihypertensive medications aged 35-74 years. The cross-sectional survey was underwent from 2000 to 2001.The age-standardized prevalence, odds ratios and attributable risk proportion of all the three hypertension subtypes were compared in different BMI and sex groups.ResultsIn males and females, the higher mean values of systolic and diastolic blood pressure were paralled with the higher levels of BMI.Similarly, the prevalence and odds ratios of the three hypertension subtypes also presented substantially rising trends from low weight to obesity groups.As compared with normal weight, men in overweight and obesity groups （BMI ≥24 kg/m 2） had 1.3, 2.9 and 2.4 times more likely to have ISH, IDH or SDH, respectively, while women had 1.6, 2.4 and 2.3 times as well（all P＜0.05）. The attributable risk proportion in males due to overweight （BMI ≥24 kg/m 2 ） was 20% for ISH, 65.4% for IDH and 57.5% for SDH, respectively, while in females, 37.9% for ISH, 59.0% for IDH and 55.8% for SDH.ConclusionThe levels of BMI were found positively associated with all the three hypertension subtypes.Losing weight and controlling obesity should play an important role in preventing the incidences of IDH and SDH.