Adiposity Measures and Heart Disease Risk in NYC
Author Information
Author(s): Gwynn R. Charon, Magdalena Berger, Waddell Elizabeth Needham, Lorna E. Thorpe, Renu K. Garg, Robyn Philburn
Primary Institution: Columbia University
Hypothesis
Which measure of adiposity optimally predicts cardiovascular disease risk across different racial/ethnic groups?
Conclusion
New York City has a lower prevalence of obesity and elevated waist circumference but a higher prevalence of elevated waist-to-height ratio compared to national averages.
Supporting Evidence
- The prevalence of obesity among NYC HANES participants was 26%, significantly lower than the national estimate of 31%.
- Most measures of excess adiposity were significantly associated with all cardiovascular disease risk factors.
- No single measure of excess adiposity was consistently predictive of cardiovascular disease risk across all racial/ethnic groups.
Takeaway
This study looked at how different ways of measuring body fat relate to heart disease risk in New York City adults. It found that while obesity rates are lower in NYC, waist-to-height ratios are higher.
Methodology
The study used data from the NYC Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, comparing obesity and other adiposity measures with cardiovascular disease risk factors.
Potential Biases
Potential recall bias for self-reported data and measurement error in examination components.
Limitations
The study is cross-sectional, limiting causal inferences, and some subgroup analyses had small sample sizes leading to wide confidence intervals.
Participant Demographics
Participants were noninstitutionalized adults aged 20 and older from diverse racial/ethnic backgrounds in New York City.
Statistical Information
Confidence Interval
95% CI
Statistical Significance
p<0.05
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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