Determining the best method for evaluating obesity and the risk for non-communicable diseases in women of childbearing age by measuring the body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio, A Body Shape Index, and hip index.

Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are linked to excessive adiposity and anthropometric indices can be used to identify those at risk. The aim of this study was to evaluate the precision of anthropometric indices in identifying obesity and risk factors for NCDs and to investigate the emergence of obesity-related NCDs in young women in Sri Lanka. We recruited 282 women 18 to 35 y of age from suburban and rural areas in Sri Lanka. We measured the women's height, weight, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), A Body Shape Index(ABSI), hip circumference (HC), hip index (HI), anthropometric risk index (ARI), fasting serum glucose, fasting serum insulin, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein, low-density lipoprotein, triacylglycerols, and ovulatory gonadal hormones (progesterone, testosterone). Comparisons were made between women with normal BMI and those who were overweight or obese using anthropometric and biochemical characteristics. The prevalence of obesity was highest in WC and in receiver operating characteristic analysis, BMI, WC, and WHtR showed higher sensitivity and lower 1-specificity as indicators of obesity. BMI had an area under the curve (AUC) of 1.000 with 100% sensitivity and 0% 1-specificity. WC had an AUC of 0.941 with 80% sensitivity and 13.4% 1-specificity. Additionally, WHtR showed a 0.974 AUC, 92.1% sensitivity, and 4.9% 1-specificity. The correlations between body size and shapes were assessed among the study participants using Pearson's correlation. More than other measures, WC and WHtR showed a significant correlation with BMI with P < 0.05 (r = 0.888 and 0.737, respectively). Although ABSI and BMI showed only a weak correlation (P = 0.006, r = 0.162), WHR and BMI showed a moderate correlation (P = 0.001, r = 0.477). Although HI demonstrated a negative association with BMI (P = 0.618, r = -0.030), HC exhibited a strong association (P = 0.001, r = 0.749). A significant association with higher odds ratios was found for obesity-related NCD risk factors such as hypertension, homeostatic model assessment for insulin resistance, hypercholesterolemia, altered ovulatory hormones with these (BMI, WC, WHR, WHtR, ABSI, HI) obesity-assessing criteria (P < 0.05). A significant correlation between WC and hypertriacylglycerolmia (P = 0.001, r = 0.781, odds ratio, >16) was identified. A positive correlation was observed between all MS components and ARI, indicating that ARI may serve as a potential indicator of cardiometabolic risk. BMI, WC, WHtR, and HC are intercorrelated anthropometric measurements that can be used either alone or in combination to define obesity and detect the risk for NCDs, including diabetes mellitus, cardiovascular disease, and infertility. On the other hand, BMI, ABSI, and HI are designed to be mutually independent indices and have the advantage of combining the separate risks to generate an overall ARI. Furthermore, ARI appears to be a highly effective predictor of cardiovascular disease.

Hewage N ，Wijesekara U ，Perera R 《-》

Comparative analysis of anthropometric indices of obesity as correlates and potential predictors of risk for hypertension and prehypertension in a population in Nigeria.

Ononamadu CJ ，Ezekwesili CN ，Onyeukwu OF ，Umeoguaju UF ，Ezeigwe OC ，Ihegboro GO ... -  《-》

Neck circumference: a useful screening tool of cardiovascular risk in children.

Early identification of cardiovascular risk factors consists an essential target for public health. The current study aims to examine the association between neck circumference and several cardiovascular risk factors and to compare it with well-established anthropometric indices. Demographic, anthropometric (body weight and height, waist, hip and neck circumference [WC, HC and NC, respectively]), biochemical (total cholesterol, high-density lipoprotein [HDL] cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein [LDL] cholesterol, triglycerides [TG], fasting plasma glucose and serum insulin), clinical (pubertal stage, systolic and diastolic blood pressure [SBP and DBP, respectively]) and lifestyle (dietary intake, physical activity level) data were collected from 324 children (51.5% boys; 48.5% girls) aged 9-13 in Greece. Body mass index z-score (BMI z-score), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), homeostasis model assessment (HOMA-IR), quantitative insulin sensitivity check index (QUICKI) and fasting glucose to insulin ratio (FGIR) were calculated. All indices (BMI z-score, NC, WC, HC, WHR and WHtR) were correlated with SBP, HDL and insulin-related indices (insulin, HOMA-IR, QUICKI and FGIR) and all indices except WHR with TG. LDL was correlated with BMI z-score, WC, WHR and WHtR, whereas DBP was correlated with BMI z-score, WC, HC and WHtR. In multivariate analysis, HDL, TG, SBP, insulin, HOMA-IR, QUICKI and FGIR were associated with all anthropometric indices; DBP with WC, HC, NC and WHtR; LDL with BMI z-score, WC, HC and WHtR. NC is associated with most cardiovascular disease risk factors. These associations are comparable with those observed for BMI z-score, WC, HC, WHR and WHtR. NC could be a simple, alternative screening tool of cardiovascular risk in children.

Androutsos O ，Grammatikaki E ，Moschonis G ，Roma-Giannikou E ，Chrousos GP ，Manios Y ，Kanaka-Gantenbein C ... -  《Pediatric Obesity》

Comparison of the ability to identify cardiometabolic risk factors between two new body indices and waist-to-height ratio among Chinese adults with normal BMI and waist circumference.

Liu PJ ，Ma F ，Lou HP ，Zhu YN ... -  《-》

Obesity diagnosis and mortality risk based on a body shape index (ABSI) and other indices and anthropometric parameters in university students.

Obesity is a global epidemic and belongs to major risk factors for the most prevalent diseases. Anthropometric measures are simple, inexpensive, non-invasive tools to diagnosis obesity and to assess the risk of morbidity and mortality. The most widely used are body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip (WHR) and waist-to-height ratios, visceral fat area (VFA), body fat (BFP) and a new body shape index (ABSI). The aim of this study was to examine the usefulness of the ABSI in obesity diagnosis compared with other anthropometric parameters like WC, WHR, BMI, VFA, and BFP. We also compared the predictability between ABSI and above mentioned common anthropometric indices. The study group was composed of 236 university students. Body height, weight, WC was measured and BMI, WHR, ABSI and ABSI z-score were calculated. The anthropometric measurements were made by using InBody 720 (Biospace Co. Ltd., Seoul, Republic of Korea). Body composition, especially VFA, BFP, FFM was diagnosed by multifrequency bioelectrical impedance analysis. We evaluated the collected data statistically and graphically in Microsoft Office Excel 2010 (Los Angeles, CA, USA). Statistical analyses were performed using the program STATISTICA Cz version 10. The diagnosis of obesity among participants according to anthropometric measures and indices showed considerable differences. We found that obesity was diagnosed according to waist circumference in 31% of participants. According to BMI 20.3% of subjects were overweight and 5.1% obese. With increasing BMI values, the values of WC, WHR and VFA also increased linearly. According to visceral fat area 11.4% of participants were in the risk obese group and by ABSI mortality risk there were 22% of subjects with high risk (4.8% and 28.3% for men and women, respectively) and 19.1% with very high risk (11.1% and 22% for men and women, respectively). VFA and BFP values increased with increasing risk of mortality, and in men also waist circumference values. When evaluating the ABSI in relation to BMI, the U-shaped curve was confirmed and in the case of WC the J-shaped curve. The FFM evaluation showed that the very low ABSI mortality risk group reached the highest values of this parameter and the lowest values showed the average mortality risk group, not only in the study group but also in male and female groups. Our findings suggest the relevance of ABSI to screen at-risk population.

Gažarová M ，Galšneiderová M ，Mečiarová L 《-》