Waist circumference cannot be improved as an index of abdominal visceral fatness by combining it with correlates of abdominal subcutaneous fat or non-fat tissue

Burton, R. F. and Lean, M. E.J. (2013) Waist circumference cannot be improved as an index of abdominal visceral fatness by combining it with correlates of abdominal subcutaneous fat or non-fat tissue. International Journal of Body Composition Research, 11(3-4), pp. 77-84.

Abstract

Objective: Waist circumference (WC), a good predictor of health risks, correlates moderately well with abdominal visceral fat (V-fat), but also with abdominal subcutaneous fat (S-fat). The aim was to investigate whether the predictive power of WC as an index of V-fat could be improved by knowledge of the contribution of S-fat or fat-free mass to transverse trunk area. Methods: The approach involved statistical analysis of relationships among WC,V-fat, S-fat and hip circumference (HC) in seventy-three men and thirty-six women using data obtained in previous studies. Areas of V-fat and S-fat were obtained from transverse abdominal CT scans at L4-L5 level. Total scan areas approximate to 0.07WC2. Data scatter due to discrepancies in the positions of CT scans and measuring tapes and to the variable disposition of abdominal contents was obviated accordingly by taking WC as {(total scan area)/0.07}0.5. Conclusions were drawn from previously published correlation coefficients. Results: V-fat areas cannot be better predicted from WCs even by combining the latter with exact knowledge of associated areas either of S-fat or of fat-free tissue. The waist-to-hip ratio proved inferior to WC as a predictor of V-fat area, as did other functions of WC and HC. Discussion: Effort should not be expended on trying to improve on WC as an index of V-fat by incorporating anthropometric predictors of these other abdominal components. As already established, the V-fat/Sfat ratio tends to rise with age, affecting relationships between V-fat and WC

• Item Type: Articles
• Status: Published
• Refereed: Yes
• Glasgow Author(s) Enlighten ID: Lean, Professor Michael and Burton, Dr Richard
• Authors: Burton, R. F., and Lean, M. E.J.
• College/School: College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Life Sciences; College of Medical Veterinary and Life Sciences > School of Medicine, Dentistry & Nursing
• Journal Name: International Journal of Body Composition Research
• Publisher: Smith-Gordon and Co. Ltd.
• ISSN: 1479-456X