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. 2023 Jan 25;31(2):316–328. doi: 10.1002/oby.23639

TABLE 3.

Studies in Asian and non‐Asian (only White individuals shown) populations comparing the prevalence of comorbidities with BMI in the US

Reference Population Obesity (according to BMI or waist circumference) Obesity‐related comorbidities
Chen et al. [ 22 ] Men and women aged 54‐93 y in the Multi‐Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis Sleep Cohort (2010‐2013) BMI, mean (SD)

  • Chinese (n = 262): 24.2 (3.3)

  • White (n = 828): 28.1 (5.4)
Diagnosed sleep apnea, %
  • Chinese (n = 9): 3.4
  • White (n = 89): 10.8
Apnea‐hypopnea index (events/h), mean (SD)
  • Chinese (n = 241): 16.0 (16.6)
  • White (n = 734): 13.3 (15.5)
Chen et al. [ 39 ] Community‐based cross‐sectional study of 2053 adults in the Multi‐Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis
BMI, mean (SD)
  • Chinese (n = 249): 24.2 (3.3)
  • White (n = 740): 28.0 (5.2)
Waist circumference (cm), mean (SD)
  • Chinese (n = 249): 88.4 (9.7)
  • White (n = 740): 98.9 (14.9)
T2D, %
  • Chinese (n = 249): 15.5
  • White (n = 740): 11.3
Hypertension, %
  • Chinese (n = 249): 46.2
  • White (n = 740): 48.5
Apnea‐hypopnea index (events/h), median (IQR)
  • Chinese (n = 249): 10.3 (3.6‐21.7)
  • White (n = 740): 7.5 (2.9‐17.3)
Echeverria et al. [ 23 ] Obesity in a nationally representative sample of US adults aged ≥20 y in NHANES 2011‐2014 BMI: 18.5 to <25.0, %

  • Asian, US‐born (n = 196): 57.0

  • Asian, foreign‐born, ≥20 y residence (n = 531): 54.9

  • Asian, foreign‐born, <20 y residence (n = 636): 61.4

  • White, US‐born (n = 4121): 29.2

 T2D, %

  • Asian, US‐born (n = 196): 5.8

  • Asian, foreign‐born, ≥20 y residence (n = 531): 18.5

  • Asian, foreign‐born, <20 y residence (n = 636): 11.8

  • White, US‐born (n = 4121): 10.5
Golabi et al. [ 38 ] Adults with and without NAFLD included in NHANES 2011‐2016
BMI, mean (SE)
  • Asian, without NAFLD (n = 657): 23.23 (0.21)
  • Asian, with NAFLD (n = 159): 28.67 (0.30)
  • White, without NAFLD (n = 1573): 25.88 (0.13)
  • White, with NAFLD (n = 808): 34.58 (0.30)
Waist circumference (cm), mean (SE)
  • Asian, without NAFLD (n = 657): 83.81 (0.52)
  • Asian, with NAFLD (n = 159): 99.51 (0.52)
  • White, without NAFLD (n = 1573): 92.02 (0.42)
  • White, with NAFLD (n = 808): 114.96 (0.63)
T2D, % (SE)
  • Asian, without NAFLD (n = 657): 9.39 (1.50)
  • Asian, with NAFLD (n = 159): 30.87 (2.96)
  • White, without NAFLD (n = 1573): 5.32 (0.61)
  • White, with NAFLD (n = 808): 28.36 (2.01)
Hypertension (%), mean (SE)
  • Asian, without NAFLD (n = 657): 31.02 (1.86)
  • Asian, with NAFLD (n = 159): 62.65 (4.09)
  • White, without NAFLD (n = 1573): 35.19 (1.57)
  • White, with NAFLD (n = 808): 65.41 (2.19)
Hyperlipidemia (%), mean (SE)
  • Asian, without NAFLD (n = 657): 56.99 (2.23)
  • Asian, with NAFLD (n = 159): 83.53 (3.04)
  • White, without NAFLD (n = 1573): 60.28 (1.58)
  • White, with NAFLD (n = 808): 83.24 (1.16)
Metabolic syndrome (%), mean (SE)
  • Asian, without NAFLD (n = 657): 11.13 (0.99)
  • Asian, with NAFLD (n = 159): 52.44 (3.87)
  • White, without NAFLD (n = 1573): 13.42 (0.76)
  • White, with NAFLD (n = 808): 65.29 (2.16)
Pu et al. [ 31 ] Pregnant women in 2007‐2012 included in the electronic health records of a large mixed‐payer ambulatory care organization in Northern California BMI < 25.0, %

  • Asian Indian (n = 5069): 71.9

  • Chinese (n = 3206): 91.1

  • Filipino (n = 1096): 69.9

  • Japanese (n = 682): 92.5

  • Korean (n = 462): 87.5

  • Vietnamese (n = 460): 88.9

  • White (n = 9011): 70.1

 Gestational diabetes, %

  • Asian Indian (n = 5069): 17.8

  • Chinese (n = 3206): 16.4

  • Filipino (n = 1096): 18.8

  • Japanese (n = 682): 8.5

  • Korean (n = 462): 12.1

  • Vietnamese (n = 460): 18.7

  • White (n = 9011): 7.0
Rodriguez et al. [ 25 ] Participants in the prospective community‐based Multi‐Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis aged 45‐84 y and without known clinical cardiovascular disease at baseline Mean BMI, % (SD)

  • Chinese (n = 795): 24.0 (3.3)

  • White (n = 2580): 27.7 (5.1)
T2D, %
  • Chinese (n = 795): 29.9
  • White (n = 2580): 17.2
Hypertension, %
  • Chinese (n = 795): 37.4
  • White (n = 2580): 38.4
Silbiger et al. [ 40 ] Coronary artery disease risk factors and angiograms of South Asian individuals and White individuals consecutively referred with stable angina pectoris or acute coronary syndrome in New York City Mean BMI

  • South Asian (n = 520): 26.8

  • White (n = 219): 29.6; p < 0.001
T2D, %
  • South Asian (n = 520): 55
  • White (n = 219): 31.1; p < 0.001
Hypertension, %
  • South Asian (n = 520): 77.5
  • White (n = 219): 68.5; p = 0.01
Obesity, %
  • South Asian (n = 520): 63.1
  • White (n = 219): 44.3; p < 0.001
Dyslipidemia, %
  • South Asian (n = 520): 75.6
  • White (n = 219): 61.6; p < 0.001

Abbreviations: NAFLD, non‐alcoholic fatty liver disease; NHANES, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey; T2D, type 2 diabetes.