Optimal BMI cut-off values for predicting diabetes, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia in a multi-ethnic population.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the optimal cut-offs of BMI for Malaysian adults.


METHODS
Population-based, cross-sectional study. Receiver operating characteristic curves were used to determine the cut-off values of BMI with optimum sensitivity and specificity for the detection of three cardiovascular risk factors: diabetes mellitus, hypertension and hypercholesterolaemia. Gender-specific logistic regression analyses were used to examine the association between BMI and these cardiovascular risk factors.


METHODS
All fourteen states in Malaysia.


METHODS
Malaysian adults aged ≥18 years (n 32 703) who participated in the Third National Health and Morbidity Survey in 2006.


RESULTS
The optimal BMI cut-off value for predicting the presence of diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia or at least one of these cardiovascular risk factors varied from 23.3 to 24.1 kg/m2 for men and from 24.0 to 25.4 kg/m2 for women. In men and women, the odds ratio for having diabetes mellitus, hypertension, hypercholesterolaemia or at least one cardiovascular risk factor increased significantly as BMI cut-off point increased.


CONCLUSIONS
Our findings indicate that BMI cut-offs of 23.0 kg/m2 in men and 24.0 kg/m2 in women are appropriate for classification of overweight. We suggest that these cut-offs can be used by health professionals to identify individuals for cardiovascular risk screening and weight management programmes.
Epidemiology and Biostatistics Unit, Institute for Medical Research, 50588 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. kee@imr.gov.my
Kee Chee
KC
Cheong
Ahmad F
AF
Yusoff
Sumarni M
SM
Ghazali
Kuang H
KH
Lim
Sharmini
S
Selvarajah
Jamaiyah
J
Haniff
Geok L
GL
Khor
Suzana
S
Shahar
Jamalludin Abd
JA
Rahman
Ahmad A
AA
Zainuddin
Amal N
AN
Mustafa
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D044466:Asian People; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000209:etiology; D003920:Diabetes Mellitus / Q000209:etiology*; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D006937:Hypercholesterolemia / Q000209:etiology*; D006973:Hypertension / Q000209:etiology*; D016015:Logistic Models; D008296:Malaysia / Q000453:epidemiology; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000150:complications / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D016017:Odds Ratio; D012016:Reference Values; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors