title: Hip circumference is an important predictor of plasma C-reactive protein levels in overweight and obese Taiwanese women.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate the relationship between serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) with obesity, insulin resistance and metabolic syndrome in overweight or obese Taiwanese women.
  
  
  METHODS
  Analysis was performed on data from 59 overweight or obese women enrolled in a cross-sectional study. Pearson's correlation coefficients were determined between CRP and simple anthropometric indices, fasting insulin, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) and serum lipid levels. Forward step-wise regression procedure was used to find a "best" subset of predictor variables for CRP.
  
  
  RESULTS
  CRP was found to have significantly positive correlation with body weight, waist circumference, hip circumference, body mass index, log of fasting glucose levels, fasting insulin levels and HOMA. Forward stepwise regression procedure showed that the best predictor for CRP was hip circumference.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The correlation between CRP and insulin resistance or abnormal lipid levels is attributed to their strong correlations with obesity.
authors.affiliation: Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taiwan Adventist Hospital and National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
authors.forename: Hei-Jen
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jou
authors.forename: I-Ping
authors.initials: IP
authors.lastname: Hsu
authors.forename: Pei-Ying
authors.initials: PY
authors.lastname: Ling
authors.forename: Chia-Tzu
authors.initials: CT
authors.lastname: Lin
authors.forename: Suei-Tsau
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Tsai
authors.forename: Hui-Ting
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Huang
authors.forename: Shiao-Chi
authors.initials: SC
authors.lastname: Wu
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D015992:Body Mass Index; D049628:Body Size; D001835:Body Weight; D001837:Body Weights and Measures; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000032:analysis*; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005215:Fasting / Q000097:blood; D005260:Female; D006615:Hip / Q000033:anatomy & histology*; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000502:physiology*; D008875:Middle Aged; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood*; D013624:Taiwan
chemical_list: D007328:Insulin; D002097:C-Reactive Protein