Faiza Samad, Muhammad Faisal Fahim, Waqas Ahmed Farooqui.
Relationship of BMI to blood pressure and ethnicity; a local suburban population of Karachi.
Professional Med J Jan ;23(08):939-47.

To establish association of BMI, hypertension and ethnicity. Study Design: Observational cross sectional survey. Setting: Patients attending medical OPD of Jinnah Medical College Hospital Korangi, Karachi. Period: April 2014 to December 2014. Methods: Blood pressure was measured and BMI calculated. The WHO recommended BMI cut off points for South Asians were applied, overweight or obese were with a BMI of >23 kg/m2 or >27.5 kg/ m2 respectively. Cardiometabolic risk factors Diabetes and hypertension were recorded. SPSS Version 20 was used to analyze data. Results: Of n= 420 (100%) patients n= 130 (31%) were males and n=290 (69%) females. Mean age was 36.37 SD±12.98 years (CI 35.13-37.61) Overweight (BMI 23-<27 kg/m2) were n=124(29.5%), and obese (BMI>27.5 kg/m2)) were n=83 (19.8%). There were 6 major ethnic groups. Mean BMI>24kg kg/m2 was present in females of all ethnic groups. Normal diastolic blood pressure in females was higher than males in all ethnic groups except Urdu speaking p-value 0.000 Hypertension prevalence n= 98(23.3%) showed significant differences (p-value 0.039) in ethnic groups, with highest prevalence in SindhI n=10(30%) Urdu speaking n=27(27.8%), Punjabi n=14(26.9%), of these n=66(69.3%) were overweight and n=37 (41.1%) obese p-value 0.000. There was a significant relationship between BMI and hypertension in overweight and obese males and females’ p-value 0.000 and 0.028 respectively. Conclusion: Significant relationship of BMI to hypertension and ethnic differences in prevalence of hypertension exists. Mean BMI in females is in the overweight category. Females have significant higher diastolic blood pressure than males in all groups except Urdu speaking; Intervention for prevention of obesity and reducing chronic disease burden needs to be urgently addressed.

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