Hypertension and its association with body mass index among the Indian population. Findings from a nationwide survey (NFHS-4), 2015-16

BACKGROUND: Globally, hypertension (HTN) and obesity are two cardinal causes of morbidity and mortality. The Asian population shows comorbidities associated with obesity at a much lower body mass index (BMI) than the western population. AIM: The primary objective of the present study was to evaluate the association between BMI and HTN among the adult population. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We did a cross-sectional secondary data analysis of the NFHS-4 datasets, conducted during 2015–16. We included the adult population, that is, ≥19 years of age (93,040 men and 5,46,066 women), and excluded adolescents and pregnant women from our analysis. HTN was the primary dependent variable, while BMI was the primary predictor variable. Other covariates included age, education, place of residence, wealth index, use of alcohol and tobacco, and diabetes. Weighted analysis was done to depict our results. RESULTS: Around 18.7% of men and 13.5% of women were hypertensive, of which 53.86% of males and 38.7% females were either overweight or obese. The odds of living with HTN among obese men and women increased with age, wealth, use of alcohol and tobacco, and comorbidities such as diabetes. The prevalence of HTN was higher even among the underweight adults living with diabetes and those consuming alcohol and tobacco. CONCLUSION: We reaffirm the significant association between BMI and HTN among adults. The use of the Asian classification of BMI for India and its neighboring countries to assess the burden of obesity would help in planning better interventions. A community-based targeted approach would help in controlling and reducing the prevalence of HTN.