Impact of body mass index on incident hypertension and diabetes in Chinese Asians, American Whites, and American Blacks: the People’s Republic of China Study and the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study.

Description

This study sought to evaluate and compare the associations of body mass index (BMI) with hypertension and diabetes among Asians living in China (n=5,980) from the People’s Republic of China Study (PRC) and Whites (n=10,776) and Blacks (n=3582) living in the United States from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities Study (ARIC). Stevens et al. showed that in every BMI category, the incidence of hypertension was higher in Asians than in Whites. Hypertension incidence also tended to be higher in Asians than in Blacks, although it was statistically significant only for the 25.0-<27.5 kg/m2 BMI category. Diabetes incidence tended to be higher in Asians than in Whites. The authors also found that diabetes incidence was very similar in Asians and Blacks with a BMI below 25.0 kg/m2, but Asians tended to have higher estimates if BMI was greater than or equal to 25.0 kg/m2. Study findings show that Chinese Asians are at increased risk for developing hypertension and diabetes with increasing BMI.