Comparative analysis of abdominal obesity anthropometric indices for the diagnosis of physio-metabolic disorders

Alaminos Torres; Ana1; 2; LÃ³pez Ejeda; NoemÃ­1; 4; RincÃ³n MancheÃ±o; Isabel1; CabaÃ±as Armesilla; MarÃ­a Dolores1; 5; MarrodÃ¡n Serrano; MarÃ­a Dolores1; 2; 3; 5

Author(s): Alaminos Torres, Ana1,2; LÃÂ³pez Ejeda, NoemÃÂ1,4; RincÃÂ³n MancheÃÂ±o, Isabel1; CabaÃÂ±as Armesilla, MarÃÂa Dolores1,5; MarrodÃÂ¡n Serrano, MarÃÂa Dolores1,2,3,5

Objective: To examine the efficiency of anthropometric indicators of abdominal obesity in order to identify physiometabolic disorders in Spanish adults.

Method: We analyzed 3,122 women and 2,103 men attending diet consultation and registered their height, weight and umbilical perimeter. Body mass index (BMI), body roundness (BRI), body shape (ABSI) and waist to height ratio (WHtR) were estimated. Blood pressure and serum levels of glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides were taken. ROC curves were applied to compare the utility of anthropometric indices in the diagnosis of physio-metabolic disorders.

Results: The BRI and the WHtR showed the largest areas under the curve (AUC) for the identification of hypertension, hyperglycemia and hypercholesterolemia in both sexes and for hypertriglyceridemia in men. The ABSI presented AUCs below the BMI for the diagnosis of all components.

Conclusions: Due to its diagnostic efficiency and ease of calculation, the waist to height ratio is the most recommended parameter in the prediction of physio-metabolic alterations.