Publication: Defining obesity by body mass index in the Thai population: An epidemiologic study
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Issued Date
2006-09-26
Resource Type
ISSN
09647058
09647058
09647058
Other identifier(s)
2-s2.0-33748861464
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Mahidol University
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Vol.15, No.3 (2006), 293-299
Suggested Citation
Chatlert Pongchaiyakul, Tuan V. Nguyen, Vongsvat Kosulwat, Nipa Rojroongwasinkul, Somsri Charoenkiatkul, Choowong Pongchaiyakul, Patara Sanchaisuriya, Rajata Rajatanavin Defining obesity by body mass index in the Thai population: An epidemiologic study. Asia Pacific Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Vol.15, No.3 (2006), 293-299. Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/23595
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Title
Defining obesity by body mass index in the Thai population: An epidemiologic study
Abstract
The objective of this study was to develop cut-off values and evaluate the accuracy of body mass index (BMI) in the definition of obesity in the Thai population. A cross-sectional, epidemiologic study in 340 men and 507 women aged 50 ± 16 yr (mean ± SD; range: 20-84 yr), were sampled by stratified clustering sampling method. Body composition, including percentage body fat (%BF), was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (GE Lunar Corp, Madison, WI). BMI was obtained by dividing weight (in kg) by height (in m 2). The "golden standard" for defining obesity was %BF ≥ 25% in men and %BF ≥ 35% in women. The %BF-based prevalence of obesity in men and women was 18.8% and 39.5%, respectively. However, using the BMI cut-off of ≥ 30, only 2.9% of men and 8.9% of women were classified as obese. In the cubic regression model, BMI was a significant predictor of %BF, such that in men a BMI of 27 kg/m 2 would predict a %BF of 25%, and in women a BMI of 25 kg/m 2 would correspond to a %BF of 35%. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve for BMI was approximately 0.87 (95% CI: 0.82-0.92) and 0.86 (95% CI: 0.83-0.90) in men and women, respectively. In conclusion, for the Thai population, BMI is a reasonably useful indicator of obesity; however, the cut-off values of BMI for diagnosing obesity should be lowered to 27 kg/m 2 in men and 25 kg/m 2 in women.