title: Surrogate markers of visceral adiposity in young adults: waist circumference and body mass index are more accurate than waist hip ratio, model of adipose distribution and visceral adiposity index.
abstract: Surrogate indexes of visceral adiposity, a major risk factor for metabolic and cardiovascular disorders, are routinely used in clinical practice because objective measurements of visceral adiposity are expensive, may involve exposure to radiation, and their availability is limited. We compared several surrogate indexes of visceral adiposity with ultrasound assessment of subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue depots in 99 young Caucasian adults, including 20 women without androgen excess, 53 women with polycystic ovary syndrome, and 26 men. Obesity was present in 7, 21, and 7 subjects, respectively. We obtained body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-hip ratio (WHR), model of adipose distribution (MOAD), visceral adiposity index (VAI), and ultrasound measurements of subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue depots and hepatic steatosis. WC and BMI showed the strongest correlations with ultrasound measurements of visceral adiposity. Only WHR correlated with sex hormones. Linear stepwise regression models including VAI were only slightly stronger than models including BMI or WC in explaining the variability in the insulin sensitivity index (yet BMI and WC had higher individual standardized coefficients of regression), and these models were superior to those including WHR and MOAD. WC showed 0.94 (95% confidence interval 0.88-0.99) and BMI showed 0.91 (0.85-0.98) probability of identifying the presence of hepatic steatosis according to receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. In conclusion, WC and BMI not only the simplest to obtain, but are also the most accurate surrogate markers of visceral adiposity in young adults, and are good indicators of insulin resistance and powerful predictors of the presence of hepatic steatosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology & Nutrition, Universidad de Alcalá & Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal & Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria IRYCIS & Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Madrid, Spain; Department of Radiology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Susana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Borruel
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology & Nutrition, Universidad de Alcalá & Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal & Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria IRYCIS & Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Madrid, Spain; Department of Radiology, Hospital Universitario 12 de Octubre, Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: José F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Moltó
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology & Nutrition, Universidad de Alcalá & Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal & Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria IRYCIS & Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Macarena
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Alpañés
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology & Nutrition, Universidad de Alcalá & Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal & Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria IRYCIS & Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Elena
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Fernández-Durán
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology & Nutrition, Universidad de Alcalá & Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal & Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria IRYCIS & Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Francisco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Álvarez-Blasco
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology & Nutrition, Universidad de Alcalá & Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal & Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria IRYCIS & Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Manuel
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Luque-Ramírez
authors.affiliation: Department of Endocrinology & Nutrition, Universidad de Alcalá & Hospital Universitario Ramón y Cajal & Instituto Ramón y Cajal de Investigación Sanitaria IRYCIS & Centro de Investigación Biomédica en Red Diabetes y Enfermedades Metabólicas Asociadas (CIBERDEM), Madrid, Spain.
authors.forename: Héctor F
authors.initials: HF
authors.lastname: Escobar-Morreale
mesh_terms: D050154:Adiposity / Q000502:physiology*; D000328:Adult; D000728:Androgens / Q000378:metabolism; D015415:Biomarkers; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002318:Cardiovascular Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology; D005234:Fatty Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007333:Insulin Resistance / Q000235:genetics; D050152:Intra-Abdominal Fat / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D009765:Obesity / Q000503:physiopathology*; D011085:Polycystic Ovary Syndrome / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000503:physiopathology*; D012307:Risk Factors; D014463:Ultrasonography; D055105:Waist Circumference; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000728:Androgens; D015415:Biomarkers