Associations Among Cardiometabolic Abnormalities, Obesity, and Sociobehavioral Factors in a Southern Nevada Adult Population.

CONTEXT: Cardiometabolic abnormalities underlie many health risks associated with obesity.

OBJECTIVE: We determined the relationship between cardiometabolic abnormalities, sociodemographic characteristics, and modifiable risk factors among adults in Southern Nevada.

DESIGN: We included 2415 participants older than 20 years from the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System surveys conducted in 2011, 2013, and 2015 in Southern Nevada. Cardiometabolic abnormalities were assessed on the combined basis of blood pressure, cholesterol, and diabetes status. Logistic regression stratified by body mass index status was used to examine cardiometabolic abnormalities in different body mass index classes.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURE: Odds ratio estimates for cardiometabolic abnormalities after accounting for sociodemographic and health behavior characteristics.

RESULTS: Cardiometabolic abnormalities followed a socioeconomic gradient, although adjustment for lifestyle variables attenuated the associative link. Non-Hispanic black (vs white) race did not elevate cardiometabolic abnormalities risk among nonobese adults, yet conferred a multivariable-adjusted odds ratio of 2.18 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03-4.61) among obese adults. By comparison, odds of cardiometabolic abnormalities among nonobese adults were 2.42 (95% CI, 0.99-5.92) times higher for Hispanics and 2.83 (95% CI, 1.23-6.55) times higher for other or multiracial minorities. Among obese adults, male gender (odds ratio: 1.84; 95% CI, 1.03-3.27) and former (odds ratio: 2.09; 95% CI, 1.14-3.85) smoker status were associated with cardiometabolic abnormalities independent of other covariates.

CONCLUSIONS: The present data support intervention strategies tailored to reinforce and promote positive health behaviors among disadvantaged groups. There were variable patterns of ethnic group disparities in clustered cardiometabolic abnormalities across body mass index classes. Targeted prevention approaches incorporating an explicit health equity perspective may help mitigate observed differences.