This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of hypertension according to levels of abdominal circumference (AC) and body mass index (BMI, expressed as kg/m²) among public employees at a university in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Cross-sectional data were obtained for 1,743 non-pregnant women aged 24-69 years participating in the Pró-Saúde Study. Underweight women and those with BMI > 35kg/m² were excluded. Hypertension was defined as systolic blood pressure >140mmHg or diastolic > 90mmHg or the use of anti-hypertensive drugs. Age-adjusted prevalence rates for hypertension were calculated considering two strata of AC (normal: < 88cm; high: > 88cm) and three levels of BMI (normal: 18.5-24.9kg/m²; overweight: 25.0-29.9kg/m²; and obesity I: 30.0-34.9kg/m²). Among normal-weight women, participants with high AC showed a two-fold higher prevalence of hypertension as compared to those with AC < 88cm (18% vs. 8%, p < 0.05). Routine measurement of AC, in addition to BMI, could contribute to early identification of hypertension in women.
Circumference; Obesity; Hypertension; Women's Health
