Key result
Waist-to-height ratio outperforms BMI for identifying central adiposity and cardiometabolic disease risk.
Why the study?
BMI has limitations and inaccuracies in assessing obesity, while precise measurements for visceral adipose tissue cannot be widely used, making simple yet accurate alternatives valuable.
Does waist circumference-to-height ratio (WHtR) improve the assessment of central adiposity and the prediction of type 2 diabetes and cardiometabolic diseases compared to BMI?
Does waist circumference-to-height ratio (WHtR) improve the assessment of central adiposity and the prediction of type 2 diabetes and cardiometabolic diseases compared to BMI?
WHtR is a simple, universal anthropometric metric that provides a more accurate assessment of central adiposity and cardiometabolic risk than BMI, making it a valuable tool for routine clinical screening.
WHtR may aid cardiometabolic risk screening in practice; leaves open need for prospective validation before replacing BMI.
Although body mass index (BMI) is widely used as a simple tool to assess obesity, it has certain limitations and inaccuracies. It is known that visceral adipose tissue is closely related to cardiometabolic risks and all-cause mortality; however, precise measurement methods for visceral fat (magnetic resonance imaging and computed tomography) cannot be widely used. Thus, simple but accurate alternatives are valuable. Studies have shown that waist circumference-to-height ratio (WHtR) might be a superior and more accurate variable in assessing central or visceral adiposity as well as predicting risks of diabetes and other cardiometabolic diseases. Furthermore, WHtR cutoff values can be consistent across different races, age, and genders, making it a universal metric worth promoting and applying.
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Zhang et al. (2024) conducted a review in Obesity and Cardiometabolic Diseases. Waist circumference-to-height ratio (WHtR) vs. Body mass index (BMI) was evaluated. Waist circumference-to-height ratio (WHtR) is a superior and more accurate metric compared to BMI for assessing central adiposity and predicting the risks of type 2 diabetes and other cardiometabolic diseases.
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