title: Analysis of Pediatric Waist to Hip Ratio Relationship to Metabolic Syndrome Markers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Waist to hip ratio (WHR) is a valid assessment tool to determine risk for the development or presence of metabolic syndrome, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease in adults. Evidence-based research on its validity with children and adolescents is limited. A retrospective analysis was conducted to determine if WHR in overweight and obese pediatric patients is associated with metabolic syndrome laboratory markers.
  
  
  METHODS
  Retrospective chart reviews were performed for 754 patients ages 6 to 17 years who were enrolled in a weight management program. Data collected included WHR, laboratory markers for metabolic disorder, body mass index, demographics, presence of acanthosis nigricans, and Tanner stage.
  
  
  RESULTS
  WHR and high-density lipoprotein were negatively correlated, r (N = 597) = -0.20, p < .001. WHR and triglycerides were positively correlated, r (N = 597) = 0.19, p < .001, as were WHR and low-density lipoprotein, r (N = 596) = 0.09, p = .03, and WHR and insulin, r (N = 414) = 0.16, p = .001. In a subject sample with very restricted range, a one-way analysis of variance found a significant effect of WHR on body mass index percentile, F (1, 754) = 22.43, p < .001, η(2) = 0.03.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased WHR correlated in children and adolescents with known indicators that could be suggestive of increased risk for metabolic syndrome, specifically low high-density lipoprotein, high low-density lipoprotein, triglycerides, and insulin. These results suggest that evaluation of WHR may be a useful tool to indicate risk for developing metabolic syndrome and diabetes in children and adolescents.
authors.forename: Lindy M
authors.initials: LM
authors.lastname: Moore
authors.forename: Angela M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Fals
authors.forename: Pamela J
authors.initials: PJ
authors.lastname: Jennelle
authors.forename: Jeanette F
authors.initials: JF
authors.lastname: Green
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Pepe
authors.forename: Tere
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Richard
mesh_terms: D000052:Acanthosis Nigricans / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D000293:Adolescent; D015992:Body Mass Index; D002648:Child; D008076:Cholesterol, HDL / Q000097:blood; D042241:Early Diagnosis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D024821:Metabolic Syndrome / Q000097:blood / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D063766:Pediatric Obesity / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014280:Triglycerides / Q000097:blood; D014481:United States / Q000453:epidemiology; D049629:Waist-Hip Ratio
chemical_list: D008076:Cholesterol, HDL; D014280:Triglycerides
keywords: Waist hip ratio; childhood obesity; metabolic syndrome; type 2 diabetes