Waist-to-height ratio and new-onset hypertension in middle-aged and older adult females from 2011 to 2015: A 4-year follow-up retrospective cohort study from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study

BACKGROUND: Central obesity was closely associated with hypertension. Middle-aged and older adult females, defined as those aged 45 and above, were more likely to suffer from central obesity. For waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) was used as central obesity assessment, the object of this study was to illustrate the relationship between WHtR and the incidence of hypertension in middle-aged and older adult females in China. METHODS: Data used in this prospective cohort study was derived from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) in a baseline survey from 2011 to 2012 with a follow-up duration of 4 years. The waist-to-height ratio was calculated as waist circumstance divided by height, and the cohort was divided into different groups based on WHtR level. The outcome variable was new-onset hypertension. RESULTS: Of the 2,438 participants included in the study, 1,821 (74.7%) had high WHtR levels (WHtR ≥ 0.5). As WHtR was closely related to new-onset hypertension in a multivariable logistics regression mode [OR: 7.89 (95% CI: 2.10–29.67)], individuals with high WHtR were also more likely to suffer from hypertension compared with low WHtR levels [OR: 1.34 (95% CI: 1.06–1.69)]. CONCLUSION: WHtR is positively related to the risk of hypertension incidents among middle-aged and older adult females. Individuals with WHtR ≥ 0.5 were more likely to suffer from hypertension.