Hu F, Yu R, Han F, et al. - Among Chinese rural adults with hypertension, an inverse association was found between body mass index (BMI) levels and increased arterial stiffness (AS) or brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) levels, whereas waist-hip ratio (WHR) levels and central obesity were identified to be positively related to increased AS or baPWV levels in this population.

• In this cross-sectional study, a total of 5049 Chinese rural adults with essential hypertension were included to examine the link between BMI and WHR levels and AS based on baPWV in this population.

• A negative association of BMI levels with the prevalence of increased AS was found (adjusted-OR per SD increase: 0.74).

• WHR levels showed positive association with the prevalence of increased AS (adjusted-OR per SD increase: 1.25).

• A higher prevalence of increased AS was evident in participants with central obesity vs those without central obesity (adjusted-OR: 1.52).

• Similar results were identified in the correlation between BMI or WHR levels and baPWV levels (adjusted-β per SD increase: − 0.57; adjusted-β per SD increase: 4.46).