Optimal waist-to-height ratio cutoff values for predicting cardio-metabolic risk in Han and Uygur adults in northwest part of China.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Optimal obesity indices in predicting cardio-metabolic risk are less studied in Asian. We evaluated optimal waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) for predicting hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes in Han and Uygur populations in Xinjiang, a northwest part of China. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study involved 5603 Han and 4657 Uyghur participants. Anthropometric data, blood pressure, serum total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride, low-density lipoprotein, high-density lipoprotein and fasting glucose were determined. The cutoff values of WHtR were calculated; the relation between WHtR and prevalence of cardio-metabolic risks was evaluated. RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between WHtR and blood pressure, TC, triglycerides and fasting glucose in both Han and Uygur participants (all P<0.001). The prevalence of hypertension, dyslipidemia and diabetes was higher with increased WHtR for both ethnic groups after adjusted by age. Calculated cutoff values of WHtR for predicting hypertension, dyslipidemia, diabetes or ⩾ 2 of these risk factors were 0.54 for both men and women in Han and 0.55 in male and 0.57 in female Uygur participants. A significant difference in blood pressure, triglycerides and fasting glucose between subgroups with WHtR either above or below the cutoff values was observed in both men and women of the two ethnicities. CONCLUSIONS: The optimal cutoff value of WHtR is a useful screen tool for predicting cardio-metabolic risks in Han and Uygur population in Xinjiang, northwest part of China.