Categorization of low cardiorespiratory fitness using obesity indices in non-smoking Singaporean women.
OBJECTIVE
To revisit cut-off values of BMI, waist circumference (WC), and waist-to-stature ratio (WSR) based on their association with cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF). The derived cut-off points were compared with current values (BMI, 25.0 kg/m(2); WC, 80 cm) as recommended by the World Health Organization.


METHODS
Anthropometric indices were measured in a cross sectional study of 358 Singaporean female employees of a large tertiary hospital (63% Singaporean Chinese, 28% Malays, and 9% Indians). CRF was determined by the 1-mile walk test. Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to determine cut-off points.


RESULTS
The cut-off points for BMI, WC, and WSR were 23.6 kg/m(2), 75.3 cm, and 0.48, respectively. The areas under the curve of BMI, WC, and WSR were 0.68, 0.74, and 0.74, respectively. For a given BMI, women with low CRF had higher WSR compared with women with high CRF.


CONCLUSIONS
These findings provide convergent evidence that the cut-off points for Singaporean women were lower than the World Health Organization's criteria but were in good agreement with those reported for Asians.
Pua
Yong-Hao
YH
Physiotherapy Department, Rehabilitative Services, Alexandra Hospital, Singapore. puayonghao@gmail.com
Lim
Cheng-Kuan
CK
Ang
Adele
A
D000328:Adult; D019540:Area Under Curve; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002681:China / Q000208:ethnology; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007194:India / Q000208:ethnology; D016013:Likelihood Functions; D008296:Malaysia / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000503:physiopathology*; D010101:Oxygen Consumption; D010809:Physical Fitness / Q000502:physiology*; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012846:Singapore; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio