Prevalence and Risk Factors of Central Obesity among Adults with Normal BMI in Shaanxi, China: A Cross-Sectional Study

(1) Background: The study aims to estimate the prevalence of normal weight with central obesity (NWCO) and to examine the relationship between NWCO and cardiovascular disease risk factors in adults of the province of Shaanxi. (2) Methods: A population-based cross-sectional survey was conducted among residents who were aged 18-80 years and had been living in Zhenba County, Shaanxi Province, for over six months in 2018. Descriptive data analysis and prevalence/frequency were conducted. Logistic regression analyses were used to detect the corresponding factors associated with central obesity. (3) Results: A total of 2312 participants (936 men and 1376 women) were analyzed. The prevalence of NWCO was 58.3%. NWCO was significantly associated with hypertension and dyslipidemia. Compared with normal weight non-central obesity (NWNO), the adjusted odds ratios (ORs) for hypertension were 1.47 (95% CI 1.10-1.98) in men and 1.55 (1.14-2.10) in women, and the corresponding odds ratios for dyslipidemia were 2.71 (1.77-4.13) in men and 1.84 (1.29-2.61) in women. Female sex, age over 58 years, and lower education level were also significantly predictors of abdominal obesity. (4) Conclusions: Body mass index alone as a measure of obesity is not sufficient for assessing health risks. Central obesity index should be used together for clinical assessment.