Metabolic risks in individuals with normal body mass index and normal waist circumference

Risk of cardiovascular diseases increases in Asian adults within the normal limits of body mass index and waist circumference.

To determine a point of body mass index and waist circumference above which the chances of having cardiovascular risk factors increased.

Data on anthropometric indices, blood pressure and biochemical measures were collected in a cross-sectional study of 3447 participants (1781 males and 1666 females) with normal body mass index (19 to <25 kg/m for both sexes) and normal waist circumference (<102 cm for men and <88 cm for women). Metabolic abnormalities were defined on the basis of the standard published criteria.

Individuals at the highest category of body mass index (24 to <25 kg/m) had significantly higher odds for having metabolic risk factors (odds ratios ranging from 1.3 to 1.6 for men and 1.36 to 2.0 for women for different risk factors) compared with those at first category (19 to <20 kg/m). Furthermore, individuals at the top category of waist circumference (95 to <102 cm for men and 85-88 cm for women) had significantly higher chances of having metabolic abnormalities (odds ratios ranging from 2.6 to 4.5 for men and 2.1 to 2.6 for women for different risk factors) compared with those in the first category (62 to <70 cm for men and 60 to <65 cm for women) in both sexes.

We concluded that the cut-off points of body mass index and waist circumference suggested by the World Health Organization are inappropriate for the Tehranian urban population.