Ware L.J., Rennie K.L., Kruger H.S., Kruger I.M., Greeff M., Fourie C.M.T., Huisman H.W., Scheepers J.D.W., Uys A.S., Kruger R., Van Rooyen J.M., Schutte R., Schutte A.E.
Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, 2520, South Africa; Centre for Lifespan and Chronic Illness Research, University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom; Centre of Excellence for Nutrition (CEN), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, South Africa; Africa Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research (AUTHeR), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, South Africa
Ware, L.J., Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, 2520, South Africa; Rennie, K.L., Centre for Lifespan and Chronic Illness Research, University of Hertfordshire, United Kingdom; Kruger, H.S., Centre of Excellence for Nutrition (CEN), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, South Africa; Kruger, I.M., Africa Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research (AUTHeR), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, South Africa; Greeff, M., Africa Unit for Transdisciplinary Health Research (AUTHeR), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, South Africa; Fourie, C.M.T., Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, 2520, South Africa; Huisman, H.W., Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, 2520, South Africa; Scheepers, J.D.W., Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, 2520, South Africa; Uys, A.S., Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, 2520, South Africa; Kruger, R., Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, 2520, South Africa; Van Rooyen, J.M., Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, 2520, South Africa; Schutte, R., Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, 2520, South Africa; Schutte, A.E., Hypertension in Africa Research Team (HART), Faculty of Health Sciences, North-West University, Private Bag X6001, 2520, South Africa
Background and aims: Simple, low-cost central obesity measures may help identify individuals with increased cardiometabolic disease risk, although it is unclear which measures perform best in African adults. We aimed to: 1) cross-sectionally compare the accuracy of existing waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) and waist circumference (WC) thresholds to identify individuals with hypertension, pre-diabetes, or dyslipidaemia; 2) identify optimal WC and WHtR thresholds to detect CVD risk in this African population; and 3) assess which measure best predicts 5-year CVD risk. Methods and results: Black South Africans (577 men, 942 women, aged >30years) were recruited by random household selection from four North West Province communities. Demographic and anthropometric measures were taken. Recommended diagnostic thresholds (WC > 80 cm for women, >94 cm for men; WHtR > 0.5) were evaluated to predict blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, lipids, and glycated haemoglobin measured at baseline and 5 year follow up. Women were significantly more overweight than men at baseline (mean body mass index (BMI) women 27.3 ± 7.4 kg/m2, men 20.9 ± 4.3 kg/m2); median WC women 81.9 cm (interquartile range 61-103), men 74.7 cm (63-87 cm), all P < 0.001). In women, both WC and WHtR significantly predicted all cardiometabolic risk factors after 5 years. In men, even after adjusting WC threshold based on ROC analysis, WHtR better predicted overall 5-year risk. Neither measure predicted hypertension in men. Conclusions: The WHtR threshold of >0.5 appears to be more consistently supported and may provide a better predictor of future cardiometabolic risk in sub-Saharan Africa. © 2014 Elsevier B.V.