Background and Objective:
Limited studies have shown that elevated waist-to-thigh ratio (WTR) may be associated with increased risk of type 2 diabetes and ischemic heart disease. We sought to examine the association of WTR with history of cardiovascular diseases (CVD) among US adults.
Methods:
A total of 11,137 men and nonpregnant women aged 20 years or older in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 1999–2004 were analyzed. WTR was calculated using measured waist and thigh circumferences. A positive history of CVD was defined as having any of the following conditions diagnosed by a doctor: congestive heart failure, coronary heart disease, angina pectoris, heart attack, or stroke. Adjusted odds ratio (AOR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) were obtained in logistic regression analyses.
Results:
The mean WTR was 1.87 for men and 1.75 for women. The age-adjusted prevalence of CVD increased with increasing WTR (p <0.05 for men and p<0.01 for women for linear trends) (Figure
). After adjusted for multiple potential confounders, there was a significant linear trend for the association of WTR with CVD among men (p <0.01), but not among women (p =0.18) (Figure
). There was a two-fold increased likelihood of having CVD comparing the forth to the first quartile of WTR among men (AOR, 2.1; 95% CI, 1.1 to 4.2). This association persisted after further adjustment for body mass index or waist circumference.
Conclusions:
In this most recent nationally representative sample, WTR was significantly associated with history of CVD independent of body mass index or waist circumference, particularly among men..
Associations of Alcoholic Beverage Consumption with Dietary Intake, Waist Circumference, and Body Mass Index in US Adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2012
