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Comparison of anthropometric characteristics between normotensive and hypertensive indi viduals among a population of Bengalee Hindu elderly men in Calcutta, India

Human Genetics Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Calcutta - 700 019, India

K. Bose

Human Genetics Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Calcutta - 700 019, India

A.B. Das Chaudhuri

Human Genetics Laboratory, Department of Anthropology, University of Calcutta, 35 Ballygunge Circular Road, Calcutta - 700 019, India

A comparative investigation of 99 normotensive and 111 hypertensive Bengalee Hindu elderly men (aged 55 years and above) of Kalighat, South Cal cutta, India, was undertaken to study differences in levels of adiposity, body fat distribution and body composition between these two groups. Results revealed that there were significant differences between normotensive (NT) and hypertensive (HT) subjects in the mean values for weight (p < 0.05), body mass index (BMI, p < 0.01); waist (p < 0.001) and hip circumferences (p < 0.05); waist-hip ratio (WHR, p < 0.001), conicity index (CI, p < 0.01) and fat free mass (FFM, p < 0.001). Percentile dis tributions for all these variables and indices showed consistently higher values among the HT patients as compared with NT subjects. However, the frequen cy of obesity (BMI 25) was similar (NT = 6.1 %, HT = 11.7%) in both groups. Thus, these results indicated that there existed significant differences in central adiposity and FFM between NT and HT subjects although their level of obesity was simi lar. Hypertensive individuals have significantly enhanced levels of central body fat distribution.

Key Words: Adiposity • Bengalee men • central body fat distribution • hypertension • India

The Journal of the Royal Society for the Promotion of Health, Vol. 120, No. 2, 100-106 (2000)
DOI: 10.1177/146642400012000207


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