Gender-Difference in the Association Between Anthropometric Parameters and the Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Diseases in Rural Chinese People: The Handan Eye Study

Abstract

Background Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist to hip ratio (WHR), waist/hip/height ratio (WHHR), sagittal abdominal diameter (SAD), and SAD/height ratio (SADHR) are all anthropometric tools used to categorize obesity status. This study aimed to determine associations between different anthropometric indices and the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in Chinese rural areas. Methods The Handan Eye Study is a population-based, longitudinal study. In total, 6830 participants, aged 30 years or older, participated in the baseline study (HES-1). Among them, 5394 subjects of the 6323 survivors (follow-up rate: 85.3%) took part in the 6-year follow-up study (HES-2). As a new anthropometric parameter, SAD was added into HES-2. Meanwhile total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein protein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglyceride (TG), and other biochemical data were recorded. This cross-sectional study analyzed these anthropometric obesity indices and correlations with CVD. Prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MS) was used as the indicator of CVD. Results Among the 5394 patients in this study, multivariate analysis revealed higher BMI and WC in women compared to men (24.61 vs. 23.66, p < 0.0001). SAD, WHR, and WHHR showed a smaller correlation to CVD risk factors when compared with other anthropometric parameters. WC and SADHR were more effective predictors of CVD and MS. In men, BMI exhibited a greater proportionality to high-TG (0.693) and hypertension (0.593) and SADHR showed a correlation to low-HDL (0.561) as well as high-glucose (0.664). WC and SADHR were the most effective diagnostic parameters in women. Conclusions Within a rural Chinese population, women were observed to be comparatively more overweight than men. SADHR and BMI serve as effective indicators of CVD and MS in men, whereas SADHR and WC are more effective indicators of CVD and MS in women. Age and gender affect anthropometric obesity indices and correlations with CVD.