Waist to stature ratio is more strongly associated with cardiovascular risk factors than other simple anthropometric indices

Sai Yin Ho, Tai Hing Lam, Edward D. Janus

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

251 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

PURPOSE: To determine which is the best anthropometric index among body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist to hip ratio (WHR) and waist to stature ratio (WSR) in relation to cardiovascular risk factors. METHODS: A representative sample of 2895 Hong Kong Chinese aged 25 to 74 years received medical examinations in 1995 and 1996. Anthropometric indices and cardiovascular risk factors in blood were measured, and partial correlation and Receiver Operator Characteristic (ROC) curves were used in analysis. RESULTS: Among 11 cardiovascular risk factors in partial correlation analysis, including ties WSR had the highest r in 6 in men, and 5 in women; followed by WC with 4 in men and 6 in women. In ROC analyses of 21 risk factors and health conditions, the area under curve (AUC) of WSR was the largest for most (13 of 21) factors in men and 10 in women; followed by WHR with 14 in women but only 5 in men. The optimal WSR cutoff value was 0.48 for both men and women. CONCLUSION: WSR is the best simple anthropometric index in predicting a wide range of cardiovascular risk factors and related health conditions. A simple message that one's waist circumference should not exceed half the stature is recommended for the public.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)683-691
Number of pages9
JournalAnnals of Epidemiology
Volume13
Issue number10
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2003
Externally publishedYes

ASJC Scopus Subject Areas

  • Epidemiology

Keywords

  • Anthropometry
  • Cardiovascular Risk Factors
  • Cross-sectional Studies
  • Hong Kong
  • Obesity

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