Waist circumference and body mass index as predictors of elevated alanine transaminase in Danes aged 30 to 50 years.
BACKGROUND
We examined whether waist circumference and waist-to-hip circumference ratio were a better predictor for elevated alanine transaminase level than body mass index.


METHODS
In a cross-sectional survey we examined body mass index, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, alcohol consumption, and alanine transaminase level in a random sample of 903 men and women aged 30 to 50 years from The Ebeltoft Health Promotion Project in Denmark.


RESULTS
Body mass index, waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio explained an approximate 12% variation in alanine transaminase in men and 4% in women, whereas waist-to-hip circumference ratio explained a 2% variation in women. The risk of elevated alanine transaminase level in men, calculated as odds ratio, with a body mass index (kg/m2) above 30, or a waist circumference above 102 cm, or a waist-to-hip circumference ratio above 0.9 was 9.3 (95% confidence interval [CI], 3.6-24.1), 5.6 (95% CI, 2.5-12.5) and 2.7 (95% CI, 1.3-5.3) respectively, but there was no elevated risk among women.


CONCLUSIONS
Waist circumference and body mass index were both predictors in men. Waist-to-hip ratio was also a predictor in men, but not as strong a predictor as waist circumference and body mass index. No association was found in women. This difference is probably explained by differences in the accumulation of intra-abdominal adipose tissue among men and women with the same degree of obesity.
Thulstrup
A M
AM
Danish Epidemiology Science Centre, Department of Epidemiology and Social Medicine, University of Aarhus. amt@soci.au.dk
Nørgård
B
B
Steffensen
F H
FH
Vilstrup
H
H
Sørensen
H T
HT
Lauritzen
T
T
D000328:Adult; D000410:Alanine Transaminase / Q000097:blood*; D001824:Body Constitution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000201:enzymology / Q000453:epidemiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D015995:Prevalence; D012044:Regression Analysis; D012727:Sex Characteristics
D000410:Alanine Transaminase