[Waist circumference cut off in relation to hypertension in Iran]

Cardiovascular disease is the most important reason for mortality in many countries, and because of its increasing prevalence, it is vital to recognize the related risk factors. Hypertension is a major risk factor for CVD. Waist circumference [WC] cut point is a simple way to recognize hypertension. WC cut off points vary for different races, making it necessary to determine WC cut off points in Iranians. This study was conducted to determine the waist circumference cut off in related to hypertension in Iran. We enrolled 83772 individuals, 41775 men and 41997 women, aged eighteen years and older from cities and villages throughout the country. The cut off point for waist circumference was determined and exams for blood glucose and COL, TG was done. Cut off points for waist circumference were determined for hypertension using the ROC curve analysis, yielding 89 cm for men and 93 cm for women. These results showed that the cut off point for WC in Iran is higher than other Asians and is more similar to whites; the present study shows that waist is ciruimference a strong determinant in relation to hypertension