Relation between weight and body fat's distribution and ambulatory blood pressure in Chinese elderly

Ninety-five subjects aged 60 years and over underwent casual and ambulatory blood pressure (BP) measurements as well as weight, height, both waist and hip circumferences and both upper arm and thigh circumferences. Most anthropometric variables were significantly correlated with measures of BP. One stepwise regression analysis was applied to reveal that among measures of BP, 24-hour systolic BP had the strongest correlation with waist/hip ratio and awaking diastolic BP the strongest correlation with weight, both waist and hip circumferences and body mass index. Another was used to show that waist/hip ratio was the best overall predictor of systolic BP and weight the best overall predictor of diastolic BP. We suggest that (1) ambulatory BP be superior to casual BP in evaluating effect of weight and body fat's distribution on BP and (2) waist/hip ratio more important than weight in the hypertensive target organ damage and the prognosis of hypertension in Chinese elderly population.