Association of Body Fat Percentage, Body Mass Index, and Waist Circumference With Hemodynamics: Insights From a Healthy Adult Population

BACKGROUND: Adiposity refers to the abnormal or excessive build-up of fat within the body. Such fat accumulation is widely recognized as a significant contributor to a variety of health problems, particularly cardiovascular disorders like hypertension. Despite this, the precise quantitative relationship between body fat levels and fluctuations in blood pressure continues to be actively investigated by researchers. METHODOLOGY: The present investigation employed a cross-sectional observational design, involving 300 adult participants aged 20 to 50 years. Indicators of adiposity, including body mass index (BMI), body fat percentage (BFP), and waist circumference (WC), were measured, and blood pressure was assessed for all individuals. Participants were stratified into three categories according to BMI: normal, overweight, and obese. Statistical analysis was done to explore the correlations between adiposity indices and blood pressure values. RESULTS: Statistical analysis showed a strong positive association between adiposity indices and both systolic blood pressure and diastolic blood pressure. Subjects classified under the obese category (BMI ≥30 kg/m²) exhibited a mean systolic blood pressure that was 15.6 mmHg higher than their normal-weight counterparts, with results achieving statistical significance. Additionally, WC and BFP emerged as independent predictors of hypertension risk. CONCLUSIONS: The findings suggest that elevated adipose tissue, particularly visceral fat, substantially contributes to increased blood pressure. This highlights the importance of implementing public health measures that emphasize weight management to reduce hypertension incidence and related cardiovascular complications.