[Obesity and high blood pressure in French West Indies women, some difference according to definition of obesity; BMI or abdominal obesity].

OBJECTIVES To compare prevalence of abdominal obesity with obesity defined as BMI >or=30 kg/m2 in a West Indies population, and to define the relation between obesity and hypertension. METHODS A cross-sectional study of 2420 consecutive unemployed subjects referred for check-up in the two health centres of Guadeloupe, a French Caribbean island. Height and weight were measured and the body mass index (BMI) was calculated as weight/height2 (kg/m2). Obesity was defined as BMI >or=30 kg/m2 and excess weight as BMI >or=25 kg/m2 and<30 kg/m2. Abdominal obesity was defined as waist measurement more than 88 cm for women and more than 102 cm for men. RESULTS [table: see text] CONCLUSION A high prevalence of obesity was observed in this Caribbean population suggesting the interest of primary prevention in The Caribbean. In women, abdominal obesity (waist measurement>88 cm) was more frequent than obesity defined as BMI>30 kg/m2). In a multivariate analysis, obesity is an independent risk factor of hypertension (Odds-ratio=3), however the definition of obesity.