Frontiers in Public Health (Feb 2023)

Waist-to-height ratio and new-onset hypertension in middle-aged and older adult females from 2011 to 2015: A 4-year follow-up retrospective cohort study from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

  • Yang Wu,
  • Yingmu Tong,
  • Hai Wang,
  • Xing Zhang,
  • Yunxiang Long,
  • Qinglin Li,
  • Jie Ren,
  • Chang Liu,
  • Chang Liu

DOI
https://doi.org/10.3389/fpubh.2023.1122995
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 11

Abstract

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BackgroundCentral obesity was closely associated with hypertension. Middle-aged and older adult females, defined as those aged 45 and above, were more likely to suffer from central obesity. For waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) was used as central obesity assessment, the object of this study was to illustrate the relationship between WHtR and the incidence of hypertension in middle-aged and older adult females in China.MethodsData used in this prospective cohort study was derived from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in a baseline survey from 2011 to 2012 with a follow-up duration of 4 years. The waist-to-height ratio was calculated as waist circumstance divided by height, and the cohort was divided into different groups based on WHtR level. The outcome variable was new-onset hypertension.ResultsOf the 2,438 participants included in the study, 1,821 (74.7%) had high WHtR levels (WHtR ≥ 0.5). As WHtR was closely related to new-onset hypertension in a multivariable logistics regression mode [OR: 7.89 (95% CI: 2.10–29.67)], individuals with high WHtR were also more likely to suffer from hypertension compared with low WHtR levels [OR: 1.34 (95% CI: 1.06–1.69)].ConclusionWHtR is positively related to the risk of hypertension incidents among middle-aged and older adult females. Individuals with WHtR ≥ 0.5 were more likely to suffer from hypertension.

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