• Ren-Nan Feng, Chen Zhao, Cheng Wang, Yu-Cun Niu, Kang Li, Fu-Chuan Guo, Song-Tao Li, Chang-Hao Sun, and Ying Li.
• Department of Nutrition and Food Hygiene, School of Public Health, Harbin Medical University, P R China.
• J Epidemiol. 2012 Jan 1; 22 (4): 317-23.

BackgroundObesity is closely associated with chronic diseases such as hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), and dyslipidemia. We analyzed the optimal obesity index cut-off values for metabolic syndrome (MetS), and identified the obesity index that is more closely associated with these chronic diseases, in a population of northern Chinese.MethodsWe surveyed 8940 adults (age, 20-74 years) living in northern China for chronic diseases. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) analysis, relative risk, and multivariate regression were used to develop an appropriate index and optimal cut-off values for MetS and obesity-related chronic diseases.ResultsWaist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI) were good markers for MetS, WC was a good marker for T2DM and dyslipidemia, and BMI was a good marker for hypertension. The optimal BMI cut-off value of MetS was 24 kg/m², and the optimal WC cut-offs were 86 cm and 78 cm in men and women, respectively. Relative risk regression models showed that BMI was associated with hypertension, T2DM, and hypertriglyceridemia and a higher prevalence ratio (PR) for hypertension: 2.35 (95% CI, 2.18-2.50). WC was associated with T2DM, hypertension, and hypertriglyceridemia, with PRs of 2.05 (1.63-2.55) for T2DM and 2.47 (2.04-2.85) for hypertriglyceridemia. In multivariate regression models, the standardized regression coefficients (SRCs) of BMI were greater for SBP and DBP, and the SRC of WC was greater for fasting blood glucose, 2-hour postload blood glucose, triglyceride, and total cholesterol.ConclusionsOur analysis of a population of northern Chinese indicates that the optimal cut-off values for MetS are WCs of 86 cm in men and 78 cm in women and a BMI of 24 kg/m² in both sexes. BMI was strongly associated with hypertension, while WC was strongly associated with T2DM and dyslipidemia.

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