title: Abdominal obesity has the highest impact on metabolic profile in an overweight African population.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this study was to determine the association between different anthropometric parameters and metabolic profile in an overweight, adult, black Kenyan population.
  
  
  METHODS
  An opportunity sample of 245 overweight adult Kenyans (body mass index (BMI) ≥ 25 kg/m(2)) was analysed. A score of metabolic profile (metabolic Z-score) was constructed on the basis of levels of plasma lipids, blood pressure, blood glucose and serum insulin. Linear regressions using metabolic Z-score as outcome and six anthropometric variables (waist circumference (WC), hip circumference, visceral adipose tissue (VAT), abdominal subcutaneous adipose tissue, arm fat area and arm muscle area) separately as independent variables were carried out.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mean age of study participants was 42.1 years (SD = 9.6) and 26.5% of the participants were men. The median BMI was 28.6 kg/m(2) (Q1 = 26.3; Q3 = 31.3). Of the six anthropometric variables tested, WC and VAT thickness had the strongest negative association with the metabolic profile (β = 0.17 (0.09; 0.24) and 0.15 (0.08; 0.23), respectively).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  WC and VAT thickness were the strongest anthropometric predictors for the metabolic profile in overweight adult Kenyans. WC is useful in clinical practice for the diagnosis of metabolically unhealthy fat accumulation in an African setting.
authors.affiliation: Department of International Health, University of Copenhagen, Copenhagen, Denmark.
authors.forename: Line N
authors.initials: LN
authors.lastname: Handlos
authors.forename: Daniel R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Witte
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Mwaniki
authors.forename: Michael K
authors.initials: MK
authors.lastname: Boit
authors.forename: Beatrice
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kilonzo
authors.forename: Henrik
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Friis
authors.forename: Andreas W
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Hansen
authors.forename: Knut
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Borch-Johnsen
authors.forename: Inge
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Tetens
authors.forename: Dirk L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Christensen
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000886:Anthropometry; D001786:Blood Glucose; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001823:Body Composition; D015992:Body Mass Index; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat; D007630:Kenya; D008055:Lipids / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D055442:Metabolome; D056128:Obesity, Abdominal; D050177:Overweight; D050507:Subcutaneous Fat, Abdominal; D055105:Waist Circumference
chemical_list: D001786:Blood Glucose; D007328:Insulin; D008055:Lipids