Appropriate cut-off level of BMI for screening in Thai adults.
OBJECTIVE
A cut-off level of Body Mass Index (BMI) for cardiovascular risk factors is controversial for its appropriateness in Asians. The present study aimed to determine the appropriate BMI cut-off level for Thai Adults.


METHODS
127 out of 387 teachers of at least 35 years of age from Phuket participated in the present study. Participants completed self-administered questionnaires, and had physical examination and blood drawn for lipid profile.


RESULTS
In multivariate analysis, participants with BMI > or = 23 kg/m2 were 2.7 (95% CI; 1.2, 61), 5.4 (2.3, 12.6), 5.1 (1.5, 16.0), and 7.2 (1.5, 34.1) times more likely to have total cholesterol > or = 240 mg/dl, high-density-lipoprotein < 40 mg/dl, low-density-lipoprotein > or = 160 mg/dl, and total cholesterol to HDL ratio > 5.0, respectively.


CONCLUSIONS
For screening/education program, the BMI of 23 kg/m2 may be an appropriate cut-off level for being overweight. To support this finding, further studies in other regions and other populations of Thailand are needed.
Thaikruea
Lakkana
L
Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, Chiang Mai University, Muang District, 50200, Thailand. lthaikru@mail.med.cmu.ac.th
Seetamanotch
Wiwat
W
Seetamanotch
Surangsri
S
D000328:Adult; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology; D016009:Chi-Square Distribution; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D009765:Obesity / Q000453:epidemiology*; D010808:Physical Examination; D012016:Reference Values; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013785:Thailand / Q000453:epidemiology
D008055:Lipids