Anthropometric patterns of adiposity, hypertension and diabetes mellitus in older adults of Viçosa, Brazil: A population‐based study

AIM: To identify anthropometric patterns of adiposity and estimate their association with hypertension and diabetes mellitus (DM) in older adults. METHODS: A cross-sectional study with 537 older adults aged ≥60 years was carried out. Weight, height, and waist, hip and calf circumference were measured. The following indices were calculated: a body shape index, body roundness index, conicity index, body adiposity index, body mass index, waist-to-height ratio, waist-to-calf ratio, waist-to-hip ratio and waist-to-hip-to-height ratio. The anthropometric patterns of adiposity were obtained by factor analysis of principal components, and their association with hypertension and DM was identified by multiple Poisson regression with robust variance. RESULTS: Two anthropometric patterns of adiposity were identified. Pattern 1 and 2 explained approximately 53% and 33% of the total variance, respectively, in both sexes. Pattern 1 indicated of global adiposity, and weight, body mass index and hip circumference were the variables most strongly correlated with this pattern in both sexes. Pattern 2 represented the body fat distribution, being a body shape index the most important variable in this factor. After adjustment by confounding factors, only the pattern 2 remained significantly associated with DM in women. CONCLUSIONS: Only the anthropometric pattern of adiposity central was associated with DM in older women. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2018; 18: 584-591.