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BMC Public Health
Published in: BMC Public Health 1/2011

Open Access 01-12-2011 | Research article

Can body mass index, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio and waist-height ratio predict the presence of multiple metabolic risk factors in Chinese subjects?

Authors: Yong Liu, Guanghui Tong, Weiwei Tong, Liping Lu, Xiaosong Qin

Published in: BMC Public Health | Issue 1/2011

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Abstract

Background

Obesity is associated with metabolic risk factors. Body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, waist-hip ratio (WHR) and waist-height ratio (WHtR) are used to predict the risk of obesity related diseases. However, it has not been examined whether these four indicators can detect the clustering of metabolic risk factors in Chinese subjects.

Methods

There are 772 Chinese subjects in the present study. Metabolic risk factors including high blood pressure, dyslipidemia, and glucose intolerance were identified according to the criteria from WHO. All statistical analyses were performed separately according to sex by using the SPSS 12.0.

Results

BMI, waist circumference and WHtR values were all significantly associated with blood pressure, glucose, triglyceride and also with the number of metabolic risk factors in both male and female subjects (all of P < 0.05). According to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis, the area under curve values of BMI, waist circumference and WHtR did not differ in male (0.682 vs. 0.661 vs. 0.651) and female (0.702 vs. 0.671 vs. 0.674) subjects, indicating that the three values could be useful in detecting the occurrence of multiple metabolic risk factors. The appropriate cut-off values of BMI, waist circumference and WHtR to predict the presence of multiple metabolic risk factors were 22.85 and 23.30 kg/m2 in males and females, respectively. Those of waist circumference and WHtR were 91.3cm and 87.1cm, 0.51 and 0.53 in males and females, respectively.

Conclusion

The BMI, waist circumference and WHtR values can similarly predict the presence of multiple metabolic risk factors in Chinese subjects.
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Metadata
Title
Can body mass index, waist circumference, waist-hip ratio and waist-height ratio predict the presence of multiple metabolic risk factors in Chinese subjects?
Authors
Yong Liu
Guanghui Tong
Weiwei Tong
Liping Lu
Xiaosong Qin
Publication date
01-12-2011
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
BMC Public Health / Issue 1/2011
Electronic ISSN: 1471-2458
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/1471-2458-11-35

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