Anthropometric predictors of hypertension in Gujarat’s rural population: A community-based study through family adoption programme

Background: In rural India, there is an increasing prevalence of non-communicable diseases, especially high blood pressure (BP) and obesity. The family adoption programme, launched by National Medical Commission, allows medical students to connect with underserved communities while collecting important health data. Aims and Objectives: To evaluate the anthropometric measurements and the occurrence of hypertension in a rural population in Gujarat, as well as to compare how effectively body mass index (BMI) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) predict cardiovascular risk. Materials and Methods: During household visits by 1st-year MBBS students from November 2024 to February 2025, a cross-sectional study was carried out in the rural regions of Ahmedabad District, Gujarat. Information was gathered from 1255 individuals using structured instruments that included demographics, BMI, WHR, and BP. Results: The mean age of participants was 42.3 years. 56.6% had central obesity as determined by WHR, and 50.4% were classified as hypertensive with BP readings of 130/80 mmHg or higher. The prevalence of obesity increased with age and was more common in males. WHR demonstrated a stronger association with both systolic (r=0.35) and diastolic BP (DBP) (r=0.28) compared to BMI. In predicting hypertension, WHR exhibited greater sensitivity (70.0%) but lower specificity (53.3%) than BMI, which had a sensitivity of 58.3% and specificity of 75.0%. Regression analyses further supported WHR as a more robust predictor of both systolic and DBP. Conclusion: This rural population exhibited high levels of central obesity and hypertension. WHR proved to be a more effective screening tool for cardiovascular risk than BMI.