Developing equations to predict waist circumference measurements based on the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute method from the World Health Organization method.

PURPOSE: The purpose of the study was to convert waist circumference (WC) measurements obtained by the World Health Organization (WHO-WC) method to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI-WC) method. METHODS: During 2016, the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey participants aged 20 years and older had two different WC measurements taken (n = 2405). The mean differences in the WC between the NHLBI-WC and WHO-WC measurements were calculated. Multivariable prediction models were developed to predict the NHLBI-WC from the measured WHO-WC. Sensitivity and specificity of the abdominal obesity classification (AOC) were calculated for the measured WHO-WC and the predicted NHLBI-WC. Kappa coefficients were calculated to evaluate the agreements between the AOC derived from the NHLBI-WC and from the WHO-WC and the predicted NHLBI-WC. RESULTS: The mean differences between the NHLBI-WC and WHO-WC were 0.8 cm for males and 3.2 cm for females (P ≤ .05). Sensitivity of the AOC for the measured WHO-WC was 93% for males and 87% for females, and the specificity of the AOC was 97% or greater for both genders. Sensitivity and specificity of the AOC for the predicted NHLBI-WC were 95% or greater for both genders. The AOC derived from the predicted NHLBI-WC had higher agreements for both genders. CONCLUSIONS: The prediction equations provided may be used to predict the NHLBI-WC from the WHO-WC for comparability in WC estimates across studies.

Metabolic Syndrome in Children and Adolescents: Is There a Universally Accepted Definition? Does it Matter?

The concept of metabolic syndrome (MetS) as a cluster of cardiovascular risk factors (obesity, altered glucose metabolism, dyslipidemia, and hypertension) has been around for more than 30 years. It is considered to be the result of complex interactions between centrally located fat, insulin resistance, subclinical inflammation, and other factors in genetically predisposed individuals. MetS diagnosis in adults has been linked to increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2D). However, MetS in children and adolescents remains a controversial issue despite the extensive research in the field. It is still uncertain which definition should be used for its diagnosis in this age group, what is the clinical significance of such a diagnosis, and how reliably it can predict the future risk of developing CVD and T2D. Even if a child is diagnosed with MetS, management includes addressing each of the syndrome's components individually with weight loss and lifestyle modifications as the basic approach. Co-morbid conditions, such as nonalcoholic fatty liver disease, obstructive sleep apnea, and polycystic ovary syndrome should also be considered. It seems that MetS in children and adolescents should be used clinically as a conceptual framework for the identification of risk factors clustered around obesity and insulin resistance rather than a syndrome that needs to be diagnosed by measuring absolute "all-or-none" criteria.

Abdominal Obesity Phenotypes and Incidence of Thyroid Autoimmunity: A 9-Year Follow-up.

PURPOSE: The association between obesity and autoimmune diseases has been suggested by several previous studies. The objective of our study was to assess the association of abdominal obesity phenotypes with thyroid autoimmunity. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study was conducted within the framework of a population-based cohort study, Tehran Thyroid Study (TTS) on 4708 subjects without thyroid autoimmunity at baseline. Participants were categorized into four abdominal obesity phenotypes according to waist circumference (WC) and other metabolic syndrome components. Serum concentrations of thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb), free T4 (FT4), thyrotropin (TSH), glucose, and lipid profiles were measured after 3, 6 and 9 years of follow-up. Cox proportional hazard models were used to evaluate associations of different phenotypes with the incidence of thyroid autoimmunity, adjusted for age, sex, FT4, and TSH. RESULTS: Highest and lowest incidence rates of TPOAb positivity were observed among metabolically unhealthy, non-abdominally obese (MUNAO) [8.78 (7.31-10.55) per 1000 person-years of follow-up] and metabolically unhealthy abdominally obese (MUAO) [4.98 (3.88-6.41) per 1000 person-years of follow-up] phenotypes. Considering the metabolically healthy non-abdominal obese (MHNAO) individuals as reference, none of metabolically healthy abdominally obese (MHAO), MUNAO, and MUAO phenotypes were associated with increased risk of developing TPOAb positivity. Compared to individuals with high WC, the incidence rate (95%CI) of TPOAb positivity was higher among those with normal WC: 8.44 (7.13-10.0) vs 5.11 (4.01-6.51) per 1000 person-years, respectively. Higher WC was not associated with incident TPOAb positivity. CONCLUSION: There was no significant association between baseline abdominal obesity phenotype status and development of TPOAb positivity over 9 years of follow-up.

Characterization of Metabolic Syndrome Risk Factors and Health-Related Behaviors in Korean Patients With Breast Cancer by Abdominal Obesity Status.

BACKGROUND: Breast cancer is the second most prevalent malignancy among Korean women. Changes in lifestyle during and after remission of breast cancer tend to increase abdominal visceral fat, leading to increased risks of metabolic syndrome and chronic diseases. PURPOSE: This cross-sectional study examined the differences in metabolic syndrome risk factors and health-related behaviors between abdominally obese and nonabdominally obese groups of Korean patients with breast cancer. METHODS: The participants were assigned to nonabdominal obesity (waist circumference < 85 cm, n = 77) and abdominal obesity (waist circumference ≥ 85 cm, n = 59) groups, and a questionnaire was used to assess the prevalence of risk factors of metabolic syndrome and health-related behaviors in each. The chi-square test and t test were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: The average age was 54.2 years in the abdominal obesity group and 51.3 years in the nonabdominal obesity group. The average blood pressure and fasting blood glucose levels were higher in the abdominal obesity than the nonabdominal obesity group (117.3/76.3 vs. 108.9/70.4 mmHg, respectively [p = .001]; 96.9 and 90.1 mg/dl, respectively [p = .007]). High-density lipoprotein cholesterol was lower in the abdominal obesity than the nonabdominal obesity group (55.4 and 62.5 mg/dl, respectively [p = .005]), whereas triglycerides were higher in the abdominal obesity than the nonabdominal obesity group (151.6 and 111.3 mg/dl, respectively [p = .006]). The prevalence of metabolic syndrome in the abdominal obesity and nonabdominal obesity groups were 42.4% and 9.1%, respectively (p = .001). Moreover, eating habits differed between the two groups, with the frequency of vegetable consumption lower in the abdominal obesity than the nonabdominal obesity group (p = .040) and the frequencies of salty and sweet food consumption and of overeating higher in the abdominal obesity than the nonabdominal obesity group. The percentage of participants who exercised for 30 minutes three times per week was 52.5% in the abdominal obesity group and 71.4% in the nonabdominal obesity group (p = .024). CONCLUSIONS/IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: This observational study found more metabolic syndrome risk factors in the abdominal obesity group than the nonabdominal obesity group. Consumption of sweet foods and overeating were higher and the frequencies of vegetable intake and exercise were lower in the abdominal obesity group. These findings suggest that female abdominally obese patients with breast cancer exhibit health-related behaviors that require improvement and better management. Interventional programs should be developed based on the findings of this study to reduce cancer recurrence and mortality in patients with breast cancer.

Body mass index classification misses to identify children with an elevated waist-to-height ratio at 5 years of age.

BACKGROUND: Abdominal adiposity is an important risk factor in the metabolic syndrome. Since BMI does not reveal fat distribution, waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) has been suggested as a better measure of abdominal adiposity in children, but only a few studies cover the preschool population. The aim of the present study was to examine BMI and WHtR growth patterns and their association regarding their ability to identify children with an elevated WHtR at 5 years of age. METHODS: A population-based longitudinal birth cohort study of 1540 children, followed from 0 to 5 years with nine measurement points. The children were classified as having WHtR standard deviation scores (WHtRSDS) <1 or ≥1 at 5 years. Student's t-tests and Chi-squared tests were used in the analyses. RESULTS: Association between BMISDS and WHtRSDS at 5 years showed that 55% of children with WHtRSDS ≥1 at 5 years had normal BMISDS (p < 0.001). Children with WHtRSDS ≥1 at 5 years had from an early age significantly higher mean BMISDS and WHtRSDS than children with values <1. CONCLUSIONS: BMI classification misses every second child with WHtRSDS ≥1 at 5 years, suggesting that WHtR adds value in identifying children with abdominal adiposity who may need further investigation regarding cardiometabolic risk factors.

La obesidad abdominal es esencial para el riesgo de tromboembolismo venoso en el síndrome metabólico: el estudio de tromso / Abdominal obesity is essential for the risk of venous thromboembolism in the metabolic syndrome: the thrombus study

ANTECEDENTES: el síndrome metabólico es un conjunto de factoresde riesgo cardiovascular, como la obesidad abdominal, hipertensión, dislipidemia y resistenciaa la insulina, asociado con un mayor riesgo de enfermedades cardiovasculares y mortalidad porcualquier causa. OBJETIVOS: el propósito del estudio fue evaluar el impacto del síndrome metabólico y sus componentes individuales, sobre el riesgo de tromboembolismo venoso (TEV) en un estudio poblacional prospectivo. MÉTODOS: Los componentes individuales del síndrome metabólico se registraron en 6170 sujetos de 25 a84 años en el Estudio de Tromsø en 1994-1995, y por primera vez los eventos de TEV se registraron hasta el 1 de septiembre de 2007...

Secular trends in the prevalence of general and abdominal obesity among Chinese adults, 1993-2009.

The objective of this study is to examine the trends in body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and prevalence of overweight (BMI 25-27.49 kg m(-2) ), general obesity (BMI ≥ 27.5 kg m(-2) ) and abdominal obesity (WC ≥ 90 cm for men and ≥80 cm for women) among Chinese adults from 1993 to 2009. Data were obtained from the China Health and Nutrition Survey, which was conducted from 1993 to 2009 and included a total of 52,621 Chinese adults. During the period of 1993-2009, mean BMI values increased by 1.6 kg m(-2) among men and 0.8 kg m(-2) among women; mean WC values increased by 7.0 cm among men and 4.7 cm among women. The prevalence of overweight increased from 8.0 to 17.1% among men (P < 0.001) and from 10.7 to 14.4% among women (P < 0.001); the prevalence of general obesity increased from 2.9 to 11.4% among men (P < 0.001) and from 5.0 to 10.1% among women (P < 0.001); the prevalence of abdominal obesity increased from 8.5 to 27.8% among men (P < 0.001) and from 27.8 to 45.9% among women (P < 0.001). Similar significant trends were observed in nearly all age groups and regions for both men and women. The prevalence of overweight, general obesity and abdominal obesity among Chinese adults has increased greatly during the past 17 years.

Intrarater reliability and the value of real change for waist and hip circumference measures by a novice rater.

Intrarater reliability and measurement error associated with waist and hip circumference measures performed by a novice rater with one measurement were examined and compared among Body Mass Index (BMI) subgroups in a convenience sample of 76 participants (25 men, 51 women; M age = 47.2 yr., SD = 14.2). A rater blinded to the purpose of the study, as well as to the tape measure results, received training and then performed hip and waist circumference measures twice with a 10-min. interval. Intrarater reliability of the measures was acceptable (ICC3,1 > .95) across the BMI subgroups; measurement error was found to be greater in the overweight and obese subgroups. If a test-retest change score is greater than 3.0 cm in waist circumference and 2.0 cm in hip circumference, it can be assumed to be a true change with 95% confidence.