The use of BMI and waist circumference as surrogates of body fat differs by ethnicity.
OBJECTIVE
To compare the prediction of percentage body fat using BMI and visceral adipose tissue (VAT) using waist circumference (WC) in individuals of Chinese, European, and South Asian origin.


METHODS
Healthy men and women of Chinese, European, and South Asian origin (n = 627) between the ages of 30 and 65 years were recruited to ensure equal distribution of gender and representation across BMI ranges (18.5 to 24.9, 25 to 29.9, and >or=30 kg/m(2)). Participants were assessed for demographics, anthropometry, lifestyle, and regional adiposity. Percentage body fat and VAT were measured by DXA and computer tomography scan, respectively.


RESULTS
BMI and WC were highly correlated with total and regional measures of adiposity in each ethnic group. At any BMI, the percentage body fat of Chinese participants was similar to that of Europeans, but that of South Asians was greater by 3.9% (p < 0.001). Above a WC of 71.0 cm, the Chinese participants had an increasingly greater amount of VAT than the Europeans (p = 0.017 for interaction). South Asians had significantly more VAT than the Europeans at all but the most extreme WC (above 105 cm) (p < 0.05).


CONCLUSIONS
Compared with Europeans, percentage body fat was higher for a given BMI in South Asians, whereas VAT was higher for a given WC in both Chinese and South Asian men and women. These findings support the use of ethnic-specific anthropometric targets.
Lear
Scott A
SA
Simon Fraser University, School of Kinesiology, 515 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, BC, Canada V6B 5K3. slear@providencehealth.bc.ca
Humphries
Karin H
KH
Kohli
Simi
S
Birmingham
C Laird
CL
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000473:pathology*; D050154:Adiposity / Q000208:ethnology*; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000886:Anthropometry; D044466:Asian People; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000473:pathology*; D008019:Life Style / Q000208:ethnology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio; D044465:White People