A Positive Relationship Exists between the Triglyceride to Glucose Index and Waist-to-Hip Ratio with Stroke Risk in Middle-Aged and Older Chinese

This study determined the association between the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index-waist-to-hip ratio (TyG-WHR) and stroke. Data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS) were utilized from baseline in 2011 to the wave six follow-up in 2020. The CHARLS cohort was assembled using a multistage probability sampling technique. Participants were comprehensively assessed through standardized questionnaires with face-to-face interviews. A total of 4,911 patients with 2,338 males (47.6%) and 2,573 females (52.4%) were included in this analysis. A significant association between the TyG-WHR and the risk of stroke was identified utilizing a Cox proportional hazards regression model with cubic spline functions that were characterized by a nonlinear relationship. The analysis determined a threshold for the TyG-WHR at 4.635. The association between the TyG-WHR and stroke was not significant [hazard ratio (HR), 0.813; 95% CI, 0.662-0.999; <i>p</i> = 0.049] to the left of the threshold. The association was statistically significant (HR, 1.271; 95% CI, 1.131-1.429; <i>p</i> < 0.001) to the right of the threshold. The current study demonstrated a positive and nonlinear association between the TyG-WHR and stroke risk among middle-aged and elderly Chinese populations. When the TyG-WHR exceeded 4.635, there was a statistically significant positive correlation with the occurrence of stroke. Clinically, reducing the TyG-WHR, especially <4.635, may reduce the risk of stroke.