Body mass index is similar to alternative anthropometric indices in evaluating plasma lipids as proxy for cardiovascular disease in women with previous hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: A cross-sectional study

Background: Women with previous hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) have increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Overweight is a modifiable risk factor for both conditions. Anthropometric indices such as waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, estimated total body f...

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Main Authors: Kristina Klepp, Anne Cathrine Staff, Meryam Sugulle, Kjartan Moe
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2025-01-01
Series:Women's Health
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057241310316
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author Kristina Klepp
Anne Cathrine Staff
Meryam Sugulle
Kjartan Moe
author_facet Kristina Klepp
Anne Cathrine Staff
Meryam Sugulle
Kjartan Moe
author_sort Kristina Klepp
collection DOAJ
description Background: Women with previous hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) have increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Overweight is a modifiable risk factor for both conditions. Anthropometric indices such as waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, estimated total body fat, a body shape index, waist-to-hip-to-height ratio, and index of central obesity improve estimation of cardiovascular death risk in the general population as compared to body mass index (BMI). Objectives: We aimed to assess whether alternative body mass composition indices associate more strongly with postpartum blood lipid levels, as a proxy for CVD risk, than BMI. We also aimed to investigate whether associations differ between women with previous normotensive or hypertensive index pregnancies. Design: In this cross-sectional study, we examined 296 women 1 or 3 years after an index pregnancy that was normotensive ( n  = 116) or complicated by a hypertensive pregnancy disorder, including preeclampsia ( n  = 133) or gestational hypertension ( n  = 47). Methods: Uni- and multivariable regression analyses, adjusted for age and smoking, were conducted to evaluate associations between postpartum body mass composition indices and blood lipids. p  < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Median BMI and overweight rates were higher in women with previous HDP than in controls (23.9 kg/m 2 versus 22.8 kg/m 2 and 44.4% versus 30.2%, both p  ⩽ 0.03). No body mass composition indices in any pregnancy complication group showed stronger associations with adverse lipid levels than BMI. However, women with previous HDP more often displayed significant associations between adverse body mass composition indices and adverse lipid levels, compared with controls. Conclusion: Alternative anthropometric measurements are not better suited to evaluate circulating lipids as proxy for CVD risk after HDP, compared to BMI. We hence recommend using BMI in CVD risk assessment after HDP due to its current widespread use and feasibility.
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spelling doaj-art-293e416559a0413d8cb3f44e7743ffe22025-01-29T09:04:41ZengSAGE PublishingWomen's Health1745-50652025-01-012110.1177/17455057241310316Body mass index is similar to alternative anthropometric indices in evaluating plasma lipids as proxy for cardiovascular disease in women with previous hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: A cross-sectional studyKristina Klepp0Anne Cathrine Staff1Meryam Sugulle2Kjartan Moe3Division of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Ullevål, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, NorwayDivision of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Ullevål, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, NorwayDivision of Gynaecology and Obstetrics, Ullevål, Oslo University Hospital, Oslo, NorwayDepartment of Obstetrics and Gynaecology, Bærum Hospital, Vestre Viken Hospital Trust, Drammen, NorwayBackground: Women with previous hypertensive disorders of pregnancy (HDP) have increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Overweight is a modifiable risk factor for both conditions. Anthropometric indices such as waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, estimated total body fat, a body shape index, waist-to-hip-to-height ratio, and index of central obesity improve estimation of cardiovascular death risk in the general population as compared to body mass index (BMI). Objectives: We aimed to assess whether alternative body mass composition indices associate more strongly with postpartum blood lipid levels, as a proxy for CVD risk, than BMI. We also aimed to investigate whether associations differ between women with previous normotensive or hypertensive index pregnancies. Design: In this cross-sectional study, we examined 296 women 1 or 3 years after an index pregnancy that was normotensive ( n  = 116) or complicated by a hypertensive pregnancy disorder, including preeclampsia ( n  = 133) or gestational hypertension ( n  = 47). Methods: Uni- and multivariable regression analyses, adjusted for age and smoking, were conducted to evaluate associations between postpartum body mass composition indices and blood lipids. p  < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Median BMI and overweight rates were higher in women with previous HDP than in controls (23.9 kg/m 2 versus 22.8 kg/m 2 and 44.4% versus 30.2%, both p  ⩽ 0.03). No body mass composition indices in any pregnancy complication group showed stronger associations with adverse lipid levels than BMI. However, women with previous HDP more often displayed significant associations between adverse body mass composition indices and adverse lipid levels, compared with controls. Conclusion: Alternative anthropometric measurements are not better suited to evaluate circulating lipids as proxy for CVD risk after HDP, compared to BMI. We hence recommend using BMI in CVD risk assessment after HDP due to its current widespread use and feasibility.https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057241310316
spellingShingle Kristina Klepp
Anne Cathrine Staff
Meryam Sugulle
Kjartan Moe
Body mass index is similar to alternative anthropometric indices in evaluating plasma lipids as proxy for cardiovascular disease in women with previous hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: A cross-sectional study
Women's Health
title Body mass index is similar to alternative anthropometric indices in evaluating plasma lipids as proxy for cardiovascular disease in women with previous hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: A cross-sectional study
title_full Body mass index is similar to alternative anthropometric indices in evaluating plasma lipids as proxy for cardiovascular disease in women with previous hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: A cross-sectional study
title_fullStr Body mass index is similar to alternative anthropometric indices in evaluating plasma lipids as proxy for cardiovascular disease in women with previous hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: A cross-sectional study
title_full_unstemmed Body mass index is similar to alternative anthropometric indices in evaluating plasma lipids as proxy for cardiovascular disease in women with previous hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: A cross-sectional study
title_short Body mass index is similar to alternative anthropometric indices in evaluating plasma lipids as proxy for cardiovascular disease in women with previous hypertensive disorders of pregnancy: A cross-sectional study
title_sort body mass index is similar to alternative anthropometric indices in evaluating plasma lipids as proxy for cardiovascular disease in women with previous hypertensive disorders of pregnancy a cross sectional study
url https://doi.org/10.1177/17455057241310316
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