Lipid Profile in Relation to Body Mass Index Among Agricultural Workers of Various Ethnicities in Thai Border

Abstract

Background: Ethnic minorities working in the agricultural industry in Thai border communities face a crisis of obesity, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease (CVD) due to diet and less physical activity. The objective was to examine the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and lipid markers in this population. Methods: This is an observational, cross-sectional study among ethnic minorities in Thai border communities (n = 468). We collected medical history and clinical data through exams and a questionnaire. We evaluated the association between categorical variables using the Chi-square test, and the association between variables using the pointebiserial correlation test. Results: Among all participants, the average BMI was 24.68 ± 4.49 kg/m2; average total cholesterol (TC) was 202.95 ± 42.57 mg/dL; average high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) was 52.54 ± 12.49 mg/dL; and average lowdensity lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) was 121.32 ± 34.08 mg/dL. BMI levels were associated with gender, TC levels, and HDL-C levels. There was a weak, positive correlation between BMI and gender (r = 0.124, p = 0.007), and between BMI and TC (r = 0.155, p = 0.001); BMI was negatively correlated with HDL-C (r = 0.182, p < 0.001). No correlation was found between BMI and LDL-C (r = 0.044, p = 0.342). Conclusion: Associations between BMI, gender, and lipid levels were observed in this study. Being overweight and obese were common among our participants. Those with higher BMI were more likely to have dyslipidemia. Health promotion activities aimed at lowering BMI levels may improve HDL and TC levels in this population.