Publication: Association between waist circumference and percentage body fat among rural Thais
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Issued Date
2006-10-01
Resource Type
ISSN
01252208
01252208
01252208
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2-s2.0-33750984814
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Mahidol University
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SCOPUS
Bibliographic Citation
Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand. Vol.89, No.10 (2006), 1592-1600
Suggested Citation
Chatlert Pongchaiyakul, Choowong Pongchaiyakul, Ekgaluck Wanothayaroj, Tuan V. Nguyen, Rajata Rajatanavin Association between waist circumference and percentage body fat among rural Thais. Journal of the Medical Association of Thailand. Vol.89, No.10 (2006), 1592-1600. Retrieved from: https://repository.li.mahidol.ac.th/handle/123456789/23590
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Title
Association between waist circumference and percentage body fat among rural Thais
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Abstract
Objective: Determine the association between waist circumference (WC) and percentage body fat (%BF) and to develop cut-off values and evaluate the accuracy of WC in the definition of obesity in rural Thai population. Material and Method: A cross-sectional, epidemiologic study in 181 men and 255 women aged 50 ± 16 yr (mean ± SD; range: 20-84 yr) sampled by stratified clustering sampling method, was designed. Percentage body fat was measured by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (GE Lunar Corp, Madison, WI). The "golden standard" for defining obesity was%BF ≥ 25 in men and%BF ≥ 35 in women. Waist circumference in centimeter was measured. Results: In this study, the %BF-based prevalence of obesity in men and women was 8.3% and 44%, respectively. However, using the WC cut-off (WHO) of 102 cm in men and 88 cm in women, only 1.7% of men and 24% of women were classified as obese. WC was a significant predictor of %BF, such that in men, a WC of 93 cm would predict a %BF of 25%, and in women a WC of 84 cm would correspond to a %BF of 35%. The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.87 and 0.88 in men and women, respectively. In conclusion, waist circumference is a reasonably useful indicator of obesity. Conclusion: The cut-off values of WC for diagnosing obesity should be lower in Thailand than in Western countries.