Metabolic cardiovascular risk factors worsen continuously across the spectrum of body mass index in Asian Indians

Objectives To determine relationship of body mass index (BMI) with multiple cardiovascular risk factors. Methods Population-based surveys were performed and 1893 subjects aged 20–59 years evaluated. Data were collected using anthropometry and fasting glucose and lipid estimation. Statistical analyses were performed using curve fit and logistic regression. Results Body mass index was correlated significantly (Rho, R2) with weight (0.80, 0.64), waist (0.74, 0.55) and waist hip ratio (0.24, 0.06) (P < 0.05). Linear relationship was observed with systolic blood pressure (SBP) (0.39, 0.15), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (0.29, 0.08), fasting glucose (0.13, 0.02), cholesterol (0.10, 0.01), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-c) (−0.16, 0.03), and triglycerides (0.12, 0.01). Significant trends of risk factors with each increasing BMI unit (χ2 test, P < 0.001) were observed for hypertension (HTN) (214.4), diabetes (29.5), metabolic syndrome (108.9), and low HDL-c (40.5), and weaker trends with hypercholesterolemia (20.6), and hypertriglyceridemia (9.6). There was exponential relationship of BMI with age- and sex-adjusted odds ratios for HTN, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Conclusion Metabolic cardiovascular risk factors continuously worsen with increasing BMI.