Waist circumference as an indicator of body fat and metabolic disorders in adolescents: a comparison of four criteria

• Autor(a) principal: Pereira, Patrícia Feliciano
• Data de Publicação: 2010
• Outros Autores: Serrano, Hiara Miguel Stanciola, Carvalho, Gisele Queiroz, Lamounier, Joel Alves, Peluzio, Maria do Carmo Gouveia, Franceschini, Silvia do Carmo Castro, Priore, Silvia Eloiza
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: LOCUS Repositório Institucional da UFV
• Texto Completo: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S0104-42302010000600014; http://www.locus.ufv.br/handle/123456789/12539
• topic: Obesity; Adolescent; Waist circumference; Metabolic syndrome X; Diagnosis

To evaluate the diagnostic validity of four waist circumference reference tables in female adolescents for detection of lipid abnormalities, hyperinsulinemia, high homeostasis model assessment (HOMA), hyperleptinemia, and high body adiposity. We evaluated 113 adolescents aged between 14 and 19 years enrolled in public schools of Viçosa (state of Minas Gerais, Brazil). Total cholesterol, LDL, HDL, triglycerides, insulin and leptin levels were measured. We also measured the percentage of body fat using tetrapolar bioelectrical impedance. Based on the measure of the smallest abdominal diameter, we defined the waist circumference and calculated sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values. Contingency tables for the classification of waist circumference in adolescents were developed for four criteria: Freedman et al., 1999; Taylor et al., 2000; McCarthy et al., 2001; and Moreno et al., 2007. Sensitivity values were generally low in the reference studies evaluated, and the highest values were found in the reference table by McCarthy et al. On the other hand, specificity values were high, especially for the table by Freedman et al. Positive predictive values were more relevant for total cholesterol and body fat percentage. The cutoff points for waist circumference provided by McCarthy et al. proved to be the most suitable for population studies. Because it has higher specificity, the proposal by Freedman et al. is useful for clinical use and can replace high cost tests, which are often unavailable for health professionals, such as those to measure leptin and insulin levels.