Background and aim: Several studies have identified that obesity and being overweight can increase the risk of developing myocardial infarction (MI). However, the predictive value of the central obesity index, that is, the waist-hip ratio (WHR), regarding MI risk remains unclear. This study aimed to provide a systematic review and meta-analysis of WHR as a predictor of MI incidence.
Methods: This study used relevant keywords and MeSH terms to identify studies of MI risk and WHR from PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane databases in November 2017.
Results: We conducted a meta-analysis of 12 case-control studies in 14 eligible trials and further explored whether the predictive value of WHR on MI risk varies according to sex. The results showed that a high WHR increased MI risk (pooled odds ratio [OR] 2.62, 95% confidence interval [CI] 2.02-3.39, P < 0.00001) and that elevated WHR is more strongly predictive of MI in women than in men (pooled OR 4.63, 95% CI 3.28-6.53 in women; pooled OR 2.71, 95% CI 2.15-3.41 in men).
Conclusions: MI is significantly associated with increased WHR, with a stronger association among women.