Neck and waist circumference biomarkers of cardiovascular risk in a cohort of predominantly African-American college students: a preliminary study.
Receiver operating characteristic curves were constructed to assess the value of measuring neck and waist circumference and waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) as biomarkers of metabolic syndrome in college students (18 to 25 years of age). Participants (n=109) were 92% black, 62.4% female, 45.9% overweight or obese, and 20.2% prehypertensive or hypertensive. Overall, 41 (37.6%) students had one or more risk factors for metabolic syndrome. Percent body fat, assessed using whole-body air-displacement plethysmography, was positively correlated (P<0.0001) with neck and waist circumference (as measured at the midpoint between the right lower rib and suprailiac crest; hereafter "midpoint"). Neck circumference correlated with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (P ≤ 0.02) and both neck circumference and waist circumference-midpoint correlated with insulin (P ≤ 0.001) and triglycerides (P ≤ 0.002). The best-fit cutoffs were ≥ 83 cm waist circumference-midpoint and ≥ 88 cm waist circumference measured at the suprailiac crest for percent body fat in men and ≥ 75 cm waist circumference-midpoint for metabolic syndrome in women. The proportion of overweight and prehypertensive individuals among self-described healthy students underscores the need for screening tools that identify those who might benefit most from health interventions. Waist circumference-midpoint provides a simple yet sensitive method for the estimation of percent body fat and metabolic syndrome risk in primarily African-American college students. The novel use of neck circumference should be further investigated.
Thaddeus J
TJ
Arnold
Amy
A
Schweitzer
Heather J
HJ
Hoffman
Chiatogu
C
Onyewu
Maria Eugenia
ME
Hurtado
Eric P
EP
Hoffman
Catherine J
CJ
Klein
D000273:Adipose Tissue / Q000378:metabolism; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D001741:Black or African American; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000378:metabolism*; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000097:blood* / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000378:metabolism; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL / Q000097:blood; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007328:Insulin / Q000097:blood; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D009765:Obesity / Q000097:blood; D050177:Overweight / Q000097:blood; D012307:Risk Factors; D012737:Sex Factors; D013334:Students; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014495:Universities; D055105:Waist Circumference; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio; D055815:Young Adult
D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D008078:Cholesterol, LDL; D007328:Insulin; D014280:Triglycerides
African Americans; Anthropometry; Blood pressure; Body fat; Low-density lipoprotein cholesterol