Rising Obesity Indices in 10-year Follow-up of Turkish Men and Women: Body Mass Index Independent Predictor of Coronary Events Among Men

In the original and new cohorts of the Turkish Adult Risk Factor Study, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) were cross-sectionally assessed among 2445 participants (mean age 51 ±14 years). In addition, BMI was prospectively evaluated over 10 years in over 2000 men and women. Coronary heart disease (CHD) was diagnosed based on elinical findings and Minnesota coding of resting electrocardiograms. At standardized age, mean BMI soared in a decade by + 1.29 and + 1.26 kg/m2, respectively, in men and women. In the last survey, in men and women, respectively, mean BMI was 26,8 and 29,2 kg/m2, and mean waist circumference w as 91.8 and 89,4 cm, respectively. Waist circumference, the best correlate of other risk parameters in both genders, exhibited correlations of moderate degree with (systolic or) diastolic pressure, plasma triglycerides, apo C-III and apo B, inverse correlations of mild degree with HDL-cholesterol, smoking and physical activity and direct correlation with blood glucose. In a prospective logistic regression analysis, BMI significantly and independently predicted nonfatal and/or fatal coronary heart disease (CHD) risk in men placing 9% excess risk for each inerement of 1 unit. Both waist circumference and body weight were significantly associated, after age adjustment, with prevalent CHD in both genders on bivariate analysis. It was concluded that the rising prevalence of (central) obesity in Turkish adults is contributing particularly among men to the existing high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Key words: