Large increase in obesity among hypertensive patients in the United States
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This study aimed to compare secular trends in the prevalence of obesity and abdominal obesity among hypertensive and nonhypertensive US adults using data from adult subjects participating in NHANES surveys during 1976-1980, 1988-1994, and 1999-2004. In hypertensive patients, the age-adjusted mean body mass index increased from 27.5 kg/m2 during 1976-1980 to 31.2 kg/ m2 during 1999-2004, and the age-adjusted prevalence of obesity significantly increased from 25.7% to 50.8%. In nonhypertensive patients, the age-adjusted mean body mass index increased from 24.2 kg/m2 to 27.1 kg/m2 and the age-adjusted prevalence of obesity significantly increased from 8.4% to 25.1% over the same time period. Based on all three surveys, the prevalence of obesity was significantly higher among women with hypertension than among men with hypertension. During 1999-2004, the prevalence of obesity was 56.4% among women with hypertension vs 46.9% among men with hypertension, the prevalence being the highest among Mexican-American women with hypertension and the lowest among African-American men with hypertension. In conclusion, over half of US people with hypertension appear to be currently obese. This large secular increase in obesity among hypertensive patients constitutes a very serious challenge in the management of hypertension.
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