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Assessment of Child Anthropometry in a Large Epidemiologic Study
Published on: February 2, 2017
Normal weight obesity in Korean adults
Mee Kyoung Kim1, Kyungdo Han, Hyuk-Sang Kwon
1Department of Internal Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea.
Clinical Endocrinology
|February 1, 2013
Summary
Normal weight obesity (NWO) affects 32% of Korean adults, characterized by excess body fat (BF) and increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk. Optimal BF cut-offs are 26% for men and 36% for women.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Health
- Metabolic Syndrome
- Obesity Research
Background:
- Body fat (BF) percentage is a more accurate obesity metric than BMI.
- Normal weight individuals with high BF are susceptible to cardiovascular diseases (CVD).
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the prevalence and characteristics of normal weight obesity (NWO) in Korean adults.
- To establish optimal BF percentage cut-offs for CVD risk in Korean adults.
Main Methods:
- Utilized data from the 2009-2010 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
- Assessed 5313 men and 6904 women (aged ≥20) using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry for BF measurement.
- Defined NWO using normal BMI (18.5–22.9 kg/m²) and BF percentages above established cut-offs linked to CVD risk factors.
Main Results:
- Strong, graded associations were found between BF percentage and CVD risk factors.
- Optimal BF cut-offs for overweight were 20.6% (men) and 33.4% (women); for obesity, 25.7% (men) and 36.0% (women).
- 32% of normal weight adults met NWO criteria, exhibiting lower muscle mass, poorer lipid profiles, and increased insulin resistance.
Conclusions:
- Recommended obesity definitions: ≥26% BF for Korean men, ≥36% BF for Korean women.
- High prevalence of clustered cardiometabolic abnormalities observed in individuals with NWO.
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