Objective: To evaluate the sensitivity and specificity of body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) measurements in diagnosing abdominal visceral obesity.
Methods: BMI, WC, and WHR were assessed in 690 Chinese adults (305 men and 385 women) and compared with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measurements of abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VA). Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were generated and used to determine the threshold point for each anthropometric parameter.
Results: 1) MRI showed that 61.7% of overweight/obese individuals (BMI > or = 25 kg/m2) and 14.2% of normal weight (BMI < 25 kg/m2) individuals had abdominal visceral obesity (VA > or = 100 cm2). 2) VA was positively correlated with each anthropometric variable, of which WC showed the highest correlation (r = 0.73-0.77, P < 0.001). 3) The best cut-off points for assessing abdominal visceral obesity were as followed: BMI of 26 kg/m2, WC of 90 cm, and WHR of 0.93, with WC being the most sensitive and specific factor. 4) Among subjects with BMI > or = 28 kg/m2 or WC > or = 95 cm, 95% of men and 90% of women appeared to have abdominal visceral obesity.
Conclusion: Measurements of BMI, WC, and WHR can be used in the prediction of abdominal visceral obesity, of which WC was the one with better accuracy.