[A simple and practical index for assessing the risk of metabolic syndrome during routine health checkups]

We evaluated various anthropometric indices(BMI, waist circumference, and waist-to-height ratio[W/Ht]) to find a simple method for assessing the risk of metabolic syndrome during routine health checkups. W/Ht correlated more closely than any other index to the sum of 4 or 5 coronary risk factors(hypertension, hyperglycemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and low HDL cholesterol; or these four combined with hypercholesterolemia). W/Ht index(> or = 0.5) was capable of identifying approximately all overweight individuals, and also identified more individuals of normal weight as at risk than any other measure of central fat distribution. Even normal-weight subjects with W/Ht > or = 0.5 demonstrated significantly higher risk for clustering of > or = 2 coronary risk factors, other metabolic risks, and a sedentary history than those with W/Ht < 0.5.