J Korean Med Sci.  2010 May;25(5):734-737. 10.3346/jkms.2010.25.5.734.

Optimal Waist Circumference Cutoff Values for Metabolic Syndrome Diagnostic Criteria in a Korean Rural Population

• Koh JH
• Koh SB
• Lee MY
• Jung PM
• Kim BH
• Shin JY
• Shin YG
• Ryu SY
• Lee TY
• Park JK
• Chung CH

• KMID: 1713958
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2010.25.5.734

Abstract

The Korean Society for the Study of Obesity (KSSO) has defined the waist circumference cutoff value of central obesity as 90 cm for men and 85 cm for women. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the corresponding waist circumference values. A total of 3,508 persons in the Korean Rural Genomic Cohort Study were enrolled in this survey. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to find appropriate waist circumference cutoff values in relation to insulin resistance determined by homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), body mass index (BMI), and components of metabolic syndrome. The optimal waist circumference cutoff values were 87 cm for men and 83 cm for women by ROC analysis to HOMA-IR and 86 cm for men and 83 cm for women by ROC analysis to value with more than two components of metaobolic syndrome. By using a BMI > or =25 kg/m2, 86 cm for men and 82 cm for women were optimal waist circumference cutoff values. In this study, we suggest that the most reasonable waist circumference cutoff values are 86-87 cm for men and 82-83 cm for women.

Keyword

Waist Circumference; Cutoff Value; Metabolic Syndrome

MeSH Terms

Cohort Studies
Diagnosis, Computer-Assisted/*methods
Female
*Health Status Indicators
Humans
Korea/epidemiology
Male
Metabolic Syndrome X/*diagnosis/*epidemiology
Middle Aged
Physical Examination/methods/statistics & numerical data
Prevalence
Reproducibility of Results
Risk Assessment/methods
Risk Factors
Rural Population/*statistics & numerical data
Sensitivity and Specificity
*Waist Circumference

Figure

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  Fig. 1 ROC curves for waist circumference as predicting HOMA-IR of the insulin resistance in men (A) and women (B).

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  Fig. 2 ROC curves for waist circumference as predicting BMI in men (A) and women (B).

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  Fig. 3 ROC curves for waist circumference as predicting the presence of two or more risk factors for metabolic syndrome (other than for waist circumstance), in men (A) and women (B).

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