Association between waist circumference and percentage body fat among rural Thais.
OBJECTIVE
Determine the association between waist circumference (WC) and percentage body fat (%BF) and to develop cut-off values and evaluate the accuracy of WC in the definition of obesity in rural Thai population.


METHODS
A cross-sectional, epidemiologic study in 181 men and 255 women aged 50+/-16 yr (mean+/-SD; range: 20-84 yr) sampled by stratified clustering sampling method, was designed. Percentage body fat was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (GE Lunar Corp, Madison, WI). The "golden standard"for defining obesity was%BF > or = 25 in men and%BF > or = 35 in women. Waist circumference in centimeter was measured.


RESULTS
In this study, the %BF-based prevalence of obesity in men and women was 8.3% and 44%, respectively. However using the WC cut-off (WHO) of 102 cm in men and 88 cm in women, only 1.7% of men and 24% of women were classified as obese. WC was a significant predictor of %BF, such that in men, a WC of 93 cm would predict a %BF of25%, and in women a WC of 84 cm would correspond to a %BF of 35%. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0. 87 and 0. 88 in men and women, respectively. In conclusion, waist circumference is a reasonably useful indicator of obesity.


CONCLUSIONS
The cut-off values of WC for diagnosing obesity should be lower in Thailand than in Western countries.
Pongchaiyakul
Chatlert
C
Department of Medicine, Division of Endocrinology and Metabolism, Faculty of Medicine, Khon Kaen University, Khon Kaen, Thailand. pchatl@kku.ac.th
Pongchaiyakul
Choowong
C
Wanothayaroj
Ekgaluck
E
Nguyen
Tuan V
TV
Rajatanavin
Rajata
R
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000886:Anthropometry; D001823:Body Composition; D050218:Body Fat Distribution; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D012424:Rural Population; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology