title: Optimal definitions for abdominal obesity and the metabolic syndrome in Andean Hispanics: the PREVENCION study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  We aimed to establish optimal definitions for abdominal obesity and metabolic syndrome (MetS) among Andean adults.
  
  
  METHODS
  Among 1,448 Andean adults, we assessed the relationship between waist circumference and subclinical vascular disease assessed by carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) and manifest cardiovascular disease (M-CVD).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Optimal waist circumference cutoffs to classify individuals with abnormal cIMT or M-CVD were >97 and >87 cm in men and women, respectively. With these cutoffs, there was substantial disagreement between the original American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute (AHA/NHLBI) and the recently updated MetS definition, particularly among men (kappa = 0.85). Subjects with MetS identified by the updated definition but not meeting the original AHA/NHLBI MetS criteria demonstrated significantly increased cIMT (P < 0.001) compared with subjects who did not meet the MetS criteria by either definition.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our findings support the use of ethnic-specific waist circumference cutoffs and the updated MetS definition in Andean adults.
authors.affiliation: Santa Maria Catholic University School of Medicine and the Santa Maria Research Institute, Arequipa, Peru.
authors.forename: Josefina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Medina-Lezama
authors.forename: Catherine A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Pastorius
authors.forename: Humberto
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Zea-Diaz
authors.forename: Antonio
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bernabe-Ortiz
authors.forename: Fernando
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Corrales-Medina
authors.forename: Oscar Leopoldo
authors.initials: OL
authors.lastname: Morey-Vargas
authors.forename: Diana Andrea
authors.initials: DA
authors.lastname: Chirinos
authors.forename: Edgar
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Muñoz-Atahualpa
authors.forename: Julio
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Chirinos-Pacheco
authors.forename: Julio Alonso
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Chirinos
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006630:Hispanic or Latino; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology; D008875:Middle Aged; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000208:ethnology; D055105:Waist Circumference; D055815:Young Adult