Journal of Metabolic Syndrome

Obesity Definition Differences and Association with Coronary Artery Disease in a Rural Malaysia Population

Abstract

Aye M, Cabot JSF and Sazali M

Obesity, defined conventionally by Basal Mass Index (BMI), is associated with numerous cardiac complications such as coronary heart disease, heart failure, and sudden death. However, not all obese people are affected by metabolic disturbances and a subset of normal BMI individuals suffer from metabolic syndrome (MetS). Although these phenotypes have been recognized by researchers, there is a paucity of data for obese people without MetS (MHO) (MetS+/Obe-). This study examined the prevalence of different definitions of obesity and their association with Coronary Artery Disease (CAD) in a Malay rural population.

Method: The group, an 18 month cross sectional, hospital based study, comprised 408 patients who were nonsmokers, age 20 and above, both gender and all races. We used differing definitions of obesity based on BMI, the consequences of obesity by these different definitions and ethnic associations.

Results: In patients with BMI ≥ 25, ≥ 27, and ≥ 30, the percentages of MHO were 15.4, 10.8 and 5.7% respectively. Obese, metabolic abnormal groups (MetS+/Obe+) (MOO) defined at BMI ≥ 25 (1.92, CI =1.16-3.17), ≥ 27 (1.94, CI=1.18-3.17) and non-obese, metabolic abnormal group with BMI<30 (MetS+/Obe-) (MONO) (1.71, CI=1.04-2.80) were significantly associated with CAD.

Conclusion: Obese, metabolic abnormal groups (MetS+/Obe+) (with obesity defined as BMI ≥ 25, ≥ 27) and metabolic abnormal group (MetS+/Obe-) with BMI <30 (with obesity defined as BMI ≥ 30) were significantly associated with CAD but obese metabolic normal subjects (Mets+/Obe-) (MHO) with BMI <27 were not significantly associated with CAD.

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