DOC News June 1, 2005
Volume 2 Number 6 p. 14
© 2005 American Diabetes Association
Obesity, Metabolic Syndrome, and Risks to Stroke Survivors
Overweight and obesity add considerable risk to African-American stroke
survivors, according to a report in the March 2005 issue of Archives of
Neurology.
A group of researchers conducted an analysis of data on participants in the
African American Antiplatelet Stroke Prevention Study, a large multicenter
trial evaluating the use of aspirin and ticlopidine with more than 1,800
participants.
Researchers collected data on 1,711 participants, who were classified into
six categories of body mass index (BMI): underweight (<18.5), normal weight
(18.5–24.9), overweight (25–29.9), obese class 1 (30–34.9),
obese class 2 (35–39.9), and obese class 3 (
40). Investigators
compared the proportion of subjects with hypertension, dyslipidemia, and type
2 diabetes, as well as those with control of these conditions.
Overall, 76% of participants were overweight or obese. Hypertension,
dyslipidemia, and diabetes were noted in 43% of men and 29% of women in the
heaviest BMI category. The risk of metabolic syndrome was doubled among the
obese participants. In addition, as BMI increased, the likelihood decreased
that blood pressure or blood glucose was properly controlled.
The study demonstrates the association of increasing risk factors and
decreasing risk-factor control with increasing weight in African-American
stroke survivors. This is particularly important in the African-American
community, which has a disproportionate prevalence of obesity, diabetes, and
other health problems and hence a higher risk of recurrent stroke.
Ruland S, Hung E, Richardson D, et al.: Impact of obesity
and the metabolic syndrome on risk factors in African American stroke
survivors: A report from the AAASPS. Arch Neurol 62: 386–390, 2005.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
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