RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: The disease burden of indigenous peoples has been augmented by the rising prevalence of obesity and hypertension in this population. This study assessed the ability of obesity indices to predict hypertension among indigenous adults of Peninsular Malaysia. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, 482 adults (223 men, 259 women) aged ≥18 years old were measured for body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-height ratio (WHtR), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and blood pressure. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis was used to determine the predictive ability of obesity indices for hypertension in men and women. Gender-specific logistic regression analyses were done to examine the association between obesity, defined by BMI, WC, WHtR and WHR, and hypertension. RESULTS: Prevalence of hypertension was 25.5%. Overall, WHtR was the best predictor of the presence of hypertension, in both men and women. The optimal WHtR cut-off values for hypertension were 0.45 and 0.52 in men and women, respectively. Obese adults with WHtR ≥0.5 had about two times increased odds of having hypertension compared to non-obese adults. CONCLUSIONS: WHtR may serve as a simple and inexpensive screening tool to identify individuals with hypertension in this relatively difficult to reach population.
Asunto(s)
Transición de la Salud , Hipertensión/diagnóstico , Tamizaje Masivo/métodos , Obesidad/fisiopatología , Salud Rural , Adolescente , Adulto , Anciano , Pueblo Asiatico , Índice de Masa Corporal , Estudios Transversales , Femenino , Humanos , Hipertensión/epidemiología , Hipertensión/etnología , Hipertensión/etiología , Malasia/epidemiología , Masculino , Persona de Mediana Edad , Obesidad/etnología , Valor Predictivo de las Pruebas , Prevalencia , Curva ROC , Riesgo , Salud Rural/etnología , Factores Sexuales , Circunferencia de la Cintura , Relación Cintura-Estatura , Relación Cintura-Cadera , Adulto JovenRESUMEN
Introduction: This study aimed to (i) determine rapid weight loss (RWL) practices among Malaysian elite combat sports athletes and (ii) examine the relationship between the characteristics of athletes, self-reported history of weight loss, perceived influence on weight loss and RWL practices. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study conducted at the Malaysian National Sports Institute among elite combat sports athletes (n=40) recruited via a convenience sampling method. The athletes completed a self-administered validated Rapid Weight Loss Questionnaire. Each response was provided a score and the total RWL score corresponded to the aggressiveness of weight management methods. Partial correlations were used to assess the relationships between total RWL score and independent variables. Results: The prevalence of RWL among the athletes was high (92.5%). Training with rubber or plastic suits (62.2%) and meal-skipping (27.0%) were the most common RWL techniques practised by the respondents. Aggressive weight-cutting as depicted by a higher total RWL score that correlated with most weight ever lost, duration taken to lose weight, influence of training colleagues and coaches, BMI, current weight and post-competition weight regain (all p<0.05). In contrast, negative correlations were seen between total RWL score, and the age at which the athletes began competing (p<0.001), duration of competition (p<0.001), age at first participation (p<0.05), duration of participation (p<0.05) and influence of nutritionists on weight loss (p<0.05). Conclusion: A high prevalence of aggressive weight loss among elite combat sports athletes and its association with perceived influence of sports professionals, colleagues and actual weight-related characteristics are of great concern.