Zeitschrift für Adipositas- und Gewichtsverlusttherapie

Abstrakt

Metabolic Syndrome in Relation to Body Mass Index and Waist to Hip Ratio; A Study in Kumasi Metropolis

Mohammed S Adamu, William KBA Owiredu and Plange-Rhule J

The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and examine the risk associations between obesity indexes [body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and Waist-to-Hip Ratio (WHR)], cardiovascular risk factors [plasma glucose, cholesterol and blood pressure] and morbidity conditions (type 2 diabetes mellitus, hypertension and dyslipidemia) in the Kumasi metropolis. Three hundred and eighty seven Penteco- Charismatic Ghanaian subjects (18–85 years of age) were recruited from Pentecost Church Santasi, and the Bantama and Old Tafo Assembly of God Churches in Kumasi, Ghana. The parameters determined on the subjects included: height; weight; waist and hip circumferences; blood pressure; fasting plasma glucose and cholesterol. There were 267 females (69%) and 120 (31%) males with mean age 41.36 ± 13.59 years. Mean BMI was 25.85 ± 5.89 kg/m2 and 22.61 ± 3.48 kg/m2 in male and female subjects respectively. Mean WC measurement was 35.41 ± 4.93 in and mean WHR was 0.86 ± 0.11. The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 8.0%, while in females and males were 10.86% and 1.67% respectively. The prevalence of diabetes was 5.0%, while in females it was 6.4% and 3.3% in males. The overall prevalence of hypertension was 32.04%, 39.0% in females and males of 16.7%. There were increasing trends between obesity indices and the severity of cardiovascular risk factors and the prevalence of morbidity conditions (all P-values for trend <0.05). Patients with a greater number of comorbidities also had higher BMI, WC, and WHR measurements (all P-values for the trend were <0.05 with adjustment for age and gender). Hence, despite Penteco-Charismatic Ghanaian subjects being less obese than Caucasians and Western countries, the intimate relationships among obesity, cardiovascular risk factors and morbidity conditions remain. Our data support using BMI and WC as part of routine clinical evaluation of patients to define obesity and its associated health risks. The results suggest that prevention of obesity, particularly central obesity; healthy living, lifestyle modification and exercising could be the most direct route to prevention of Metabolic Syndrome and its complications.