Waist Circumference and Waist-to-Hip Ratio in Adult Igbo’s of Nigeria: Interrelation with Risk of Cardiovascular Disease

Waist circumference and waist to hip ratio are used as indicators of abdominal obesity in population studies. This study was carried out to predict if the Igbo ethnic groups are at a risk of cardiovascular disease. A total of 800 subjects were randomly selected, 400 males and 400 females between age range 20-65 years. A measuring tape was used to measure their waist and hip circumference to get its ratio. Their blood pressure and body mass index were also determined. The mean waist circumference, waist to hip ratio, blood pressure, body mass index and hip circumference were 84.27±8.13 cm, 0.88±0.05, 125/80±12.18/10.44 mmHg, 25±2.97 (kg/m2) and 95.30±6.94 cm for males respectively and those of female subjects were 87.43±11.97 cm, 0.85±0.06, 122/79±11.95/10.98 mmHg, 27±4.88 (kg/m2) and102.48±9.87 cm, respectively. Using z-test, there was a significant difference in their systolic pressure, body mass index and waist to hip ratio (p<0.05). Based on their age range the calculated parameters increased with an advancing age, especially from 40-65 years which means that this age ranges were at a higher risk than those between 20-39 years. In the study, 50% of the adult males had a waist to hip ratio greater than 0.95 cm which kept them at a higher risk than their female counterparts of which 21.87% had a waist to hip ratio greater than 0.85 cm. The result of this studies showed that the Igbo ethnic groups were pre-hypertensive and obese with an advancing age. This study signifies that they are at a risk of cardiovascular disease and need urgent medical attention.