Body mass index, waist hip ratio, and waist circumference: which measure to classify obesity?
OBJECTIVE
To determine the proportion of a representative population sample of adults in South Australia who have a body mass index (a measure of overall obesity) classified as normal or underweight, but who also have a waist circumference or waist hip ration (measures of central obesity) that indicates obesity.


METHODS
A representative population sample of adults aged 18 years and over living in the north west region of Adelaide (n = 2523) were recruited to the study. Clinical measures of height, weight, waist and hip circumference were obtained and used to determine body mass index, waist hip ratio and waist circumference.


RESULTS
Among women with a normal body mass index, 19.0% had a high waist circumference (> or = 80 cm) and 8.5% had a high waist hip ratio (> 0.85). Among males with a normal body mass index, 3.4% had a high waist circumference (> or = 95 cm) and 0.1% had a high waist hip ratio (> 1.0).


CONCLUSIONS
Body mass index, waist hip ratio and waist circumference all have a role in the identification of those who are obese or overweight.
Gill
Tiffany
T
Centre for Population Studies in Epidemiology, Department of Human Services, Adelaide. tiffany.gill@dhs.sa.gov.au
Chittleborough
Catherine
C
Taylor
Anne
A
Ruffin
Richard
R
Wilson
David
D
Phillips
Patrick
P
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D001824:Body Constitution; D015992:Body Mass Index; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000145:classification* / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D013021:South Australia / Q000453:epidemiology