Old and new anthropometric indices in relation to blood pressure among the elderly: Birjand longitudinal aging study

Background: This study aimed to investigate whether or not anthropometric indices are associated with hypertension in a sample of Iranian older adults. Methods: : This cross-sectional study used the data from the first wave of Birjand Longitudinal Aging Study (BLAS) (n=1364). Body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) were assessed as the old anthropometric indices, and body roundness index (BRI) and a body shape index (ABSI) were assessed as new body composition indices. Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure (SBP & DBP) were measured and used to assess hypertension (HTN). Analyses were conducted using binary logistic regression and receiver-operating characteristic curves (AUC) analysis. Results: : Prevalence of obesity was the highest based on BMI (59%). The best predictor of HTN were WC and BMI (AUC= 0.6 and 0.62). Before and after adjusting for confounders, high BMI and high WC had the strongest direct association with the presence of HTN, high SBP and high DBP in total population and in men and women separately. In women, BRI was significantly associated with DBP (OR: 1.60, 95%CI: 1.01; 2.52, P = 0.04. ABSI was not associated with blood pressure ( P > 0.05). Conclusions: : The result of this study showed that old obesity indices are better predictors of HTN and BMI and WC are more strongly associated with HTN than the new indices. BRI is only associated with DBP in women.