Title:Indicators of Obesity and Cardio-metabolic Risks: Important Consideration in Adults and Children
Volume: 18
Issue: 1
Author(s): Fahimeh Soheilipour, Mahsa Hatami *, Hamid Salehiniya and Mohammadreza Alaei
Affiliation:
- Minimally Invasive Surgery Research Center, Iran University of Medical Sciences,
Tehran, Iran
- Department of Clinical Nutrition, School of Nutritional Sciences and Dietetics, Tehran University of
Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran
Keywords:
Obesity, Body mass index, anthropometric, adiposity, waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio.
Abstract: The prevalence of obesity has dramatically increased all over the world. Body mass index
(BMI) has been used as the most common available measure to determining obesity status.
While the site of excessive fat mass accumulation is a stronger determinant of cardio-metabolic
complication, with respect to systemic and generalized obesity, which is only determined through
BMI. So, it is concluded that using traditional anthropometric indices such as BMI for interpreting
the obesity status and cardio-metabolic risk has considerable limitations. Thus, the main aims of
the present study are to discuss possible drawbacks of anthropometric indices especially BMI,
which in epidemiological studies are usually neglected, as well as lend important consideration to
using other anthropometric indices such as measurement of obesity and related cardio-metabolic
complications with a special emphasis on the use of waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio and
waist-to-height ratio.