Relationship of metabolic variables to abdominal adiposity measured by different anthropometric measurements and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry in obese middle-aged women

OBJECTIVES: To investigate how abdominal adiposity assessed by different anthropometric measurements and dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry measurements is associated with metabolic risk factors for cardiovascular disease and non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus in obese women. DESIGN: Cross-sectional study. SUBJECTS: Forty-three healthy, obese, middle-aged women (age: 29-64y, BMI: 28-42 kg/m(2)). MEASUREMENTS: (1) Anthropometry: waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio, abdominal sagittal and transverse diameters and their ratio. (2) Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry: the amount of total and regional abdominal fat. (3) Metabolic measurements: serum total, VLDL, LDL, HDL cholesterol, triglycerides, fasting and postglucose serum insulin and glucose. RESULTS: After adjustment for age and BMI, all the anthropometric measurements except waist-to-hip ratio and waist-to-height ratio related significantly to HDL and LDL cholesterol. On the other hand, waist-to-hip ratio and waist-to-height ratio showed an association with triglycerides. In addition, all the anthropometric measurements except transverse diameter correlated significantly with fasting insulin and fasting glucose. Waist-to-hip ratio was the only measure that associated with 2 h glucose concentration. The differences between the correlation coefficients were not statistically significant in the z-transformed correlation coefficient test. As to dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry results, the region from the dome of diaphragm to the top of femur ('abdominal fat') and the area between the first and the fourth lumbal vertebrae ('upper lumbal fat') inversely related to HDL cholesterol and positively to triglycerides. Both of these regions correlated significantly with fasting insulin, and 'upper lumbal fat' associated also with fasting glucose even after adjustment for age and BMI. CONCLUSION: None of the anthropometric measurements (waist circumference, waist-to-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio or sagittal diameter) was significantly superior to others to assess the metabolic risk profile. 'Upper lumbal fat' (the area between the first and the fourth lumbal vertebrae) measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry discerned obese women with elevated fasting insulin and fasting glucose.