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JAMA Network Open: Waist Size Can Help Identify Obesity Risks That BMI May Miss
Measuring waist circumference may be one of the simplest ways to identify an increased risk of obesity-related diseases, according to a study by researchers at Rutgers Health. The findings were published in the scientific journal JAMA Network Open.
The researchers found that combining body mass index (BMI) with waist circumference can identify excess body fat and related health risks with the same accuracy as a more complex system that takes several body measurements into account. At the same time, waist circumference alone was found to be almost as effective.
The scientists analyzed data from about 1,900 Americans aged 20 to 59 who participated in the U.S. National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. They compared several methods of diagnosing obesity with a highly accurate method of determining the amount of body fat.
Recently, an international group of experts proposed a more comprehensive approach that includes BMI, waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio, and waist-to-hip ratio. However, the study found that these additional measurements did not provide a significant advantage over simpler methods.
According to lead study author Aayush Visaria, needing to move up a clothing size or loosen a belt may be an early sign of excess body fat. However, he emphasized that clothing size is not a substitute for a medical measurement of waist circumference.
The researchers also found that BMI alone is insufficient to identify a substantial proportion of people with excess body fat. This is because BMI does not account for differences in body composition or fat distribution.
The scientists believe that regularly measuring waist circumference alongside body weight could help identify an increased risk of diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, and certain types of cancer at an earlier stage.
The findings could contribute to future recommendations for obesity screening and encourage wider use of waist circumference measurements in clinical practice.
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