Novel and traditional anthropometric indices for identifying metabolic syndrome in non-overweight/obese adults

Abstract

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) in non-overweight/obese people is insidiously associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD). Novel anthropometric indices can reflect central obesity better than the traditional anthropometric indices. Therefore, we hypothesize that these newly developed anthropometric indices can better identify MetS in non-overweight/obese people than conventional indices.Methods: Cross-sectional data of sociodemographic, biochemical and anthropometric indices were collected from 2916 non-overweight/obese Chinese people. A body shape index (ABSI), body roundness index (BRI), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), weight-adjusted-waist index (WWI) and abdominal volume index (AVI) were calculated. Partial correlation analysis was used to clarify the correlation between anthropometric indices and MetS variables. Binary logistic regression analysis was applied to assess the association between anthropometric indices and MetS and its components. Receiver-operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to identify the diagnostic ability of anthropometric indices for MetS and its components. The area under curve (AUC) difference between WHtR and each new anthropometric index was compared in pairs.Results: After adjusting for covariates, AVI had the optimal ability of identifying MetS (AUC: 0.743 for male, 0.819 for female) and the strongest correlation with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (coe: -0.227 for male, -0.207 for female) and the highest odds rations (OR) with low HDL-C group (male: OR = 1.37, female: OR = 1.55). The WHtR was comparable to BRI in assessing MetS (AUC: 0.739 for male, 0.817 for female). WHtR or BRI could also well identify hypertension (AUC: 0.602 for male, 0.688 for female) and dysglycemia (AUC: 0.669 for male, 0.713 for female) and female's high triglyceride level (AUC 0.712). The recognition ability of the two was equivalent. The ability of ABSI and WWI to identify MetS was weak.Conclusions: AVI is the optimal anthropometric indices to identify MetS in non-overweight/obese Chinese adults. BRI and WHtR can also be considered as discriminators, while ABSI and WWI are weak discriminators. WHtR is easy to measure. So, it is recommended as an early preliminary screening method for the MetS in non-overweight/obese people.

Association between a body shape index and abdominal aortic calcification in the general population: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2013-2014

“…ABSI is a recently developed nutritional index composed of height, weight and WC, which is reported to be positively correlated with central obesity, metabolic related diseases and death risks [18,22]. A subsequent study found that among teenagers, ABSI was better at identifying hypertension than BMI and WC [39].…”

“…Since then, ABSI has received more and more attention. Subsequent studies revealed the relationship between ABSI and arterial stiffness [19], carotid atherosclerosis [20], hypertension [21], metabolic syndrome [22], diabetes and CVD [23][24][25][26][27].…”

Abdominal volume index trajectories and risk of diabetes mellitus: Results from the China Health and Nutrition Survey

“…AVI has been used as a basic anthropological parameter to predict metabolic disorder in many studies 14,[28][29][30] . Referring to cylindrical and vertical cone volume formulas, Guerrero-Romero originally used the geometric data of the human model including waist and hip circumference to simulate and calculate AVI to predict impaired glucose tolerance and diabetes mellitus 11 .…”

“…Chin applied AVI in adolescents as a screening tool to test for metabolic syndrome in adulthood, which has been verified across populations in different countries 28 . Wu carried out a 20-year follow-up study to explore the effects of anthropometric indexes other than BMI on adult glucose homeostasis, and suggested that AVI had the highest predictive value in insulin resistance, b-cell dysfunction, elevated fasting insulin and impaired glucose tolerance 29 . All of these prior studies showed that AVI is a sensitive indicator of abdominal obesityrelated metabolic abnormalities and an important factor in diabetes mellitus study.…”

Body composition indices and electromechanical durations in metabolic syndrome

“…While they reflect the general distribution of body fat, [6] it is also known that traditional anthropometric indices like BMI and waist circumference (WC) are not successful in making a distinction between fat and body mass [7,8]. Therefore, it has become clear that there is a need for more appropriate anthropometric indices that can measure body type and central obesity and predict disease [9]. Relatively new body composition indices such as a body shape index (ABSI), visceral adiposity index (VAI) and body roundness index (BRI) have been shown to be better correlated with visceral fat tissue, and therefore, better able to predict subclinical cardiovascular disease [10,11].…”