Cut-off values for waist circumference in rural Iraqi adults for the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome

BACKGROUND: The determination of cutoff points for healthy waist circumference (WC) is of paramount importance for prevention, optimum management, and prognostication of obesity, the metabolic syndrome (MetS), type 2 diabetes mellitus, and coronary heart disease. The aim of this project was to establish the cutoff level for WC in rural Basrah in Iraq, one of the eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (Arab) populations. METHODS: This was a community-based, cross-sectional survey for establishing the normal value for WC among a rural district population in Basrah (Abu-Al-khasib), Iraq. A stratified sampling procedure was used for sample selection. RESULTS: The cutoff level yielding maximum sensitivity and specificity for predicting the presence of multiple risk factors was 97 cm in men and 99 cm in women. Sensitivity and specificity using these cutoff values were 70% and 50%, respectively, in men and 70% and 45%, respectively, in women. CONCLUSION: We propose the optimal cutoff point for WC for the diagnosis of MetS in the Iraqi adult rural population as 99 cm in women and 97 cm in men.