Letter to the Editor

Waist Circumference is a Better Predictor of Obesity-related Health Risk than Body Mass Index in the Chinese Including Children

Authors: Tsung O. Cheng, MD

Abstract

Among the five anthropometric indices for diagnosing obesity—body mass index (BMI), percent body fat, waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio and waist-to-stature ratio—the most commonly used index around the world is BMI.1 Recently, Ng and Lai2 introduced another index, weight-length index, to be used together with BMI to define childhood obesity in Chinese in Taiwan. However, measurement of WC as a preferable determinant of cardiovascular and metabolic risks is increasingly gaining popularity in recent years. That WC is indeed a better index than BMI as a measure of obesity among the Chinese has been recently reported in both Chinese men,3 women3,4 and children.5

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References

1.Cheng TO. Waist circumference versus body mass index in risk prediction of coronary heart disease: comparing apples and oranges. J Int Med 2004;255:690–691.
 
2.Ng K-C, Lai S-W. Application of anthropometric indices in childhood obesity. South Med J2004;97:566–570.
 
3.Jia WP, Lu JX, Xiang KS, et al. Prediction of abdominal visceral obesity from body mass index, waist circumference and waist-hip ratio in Chinese adults: receiver operating characteristic curves analysis.Biomed Environ Sci 2003;16:206–211.
 
4.Rosenthal AD, Jin F, Shu X-O, et al. Body fat distribution and risk of diabetes among Chinese women.Int J Obesity 2004;28:594–599.
 
5.Iwata F, Hara M, Okada T, et al. Body fat ratios in urban Chinese children. Pediatr Int 2003;45:190–192.
 
6.Cheng TO. The current state of cardiology in China. Int J Cardiol 2004;96:425–439.