Waist circumference, waist-to-height ratio and overweight cut-off points: a cross-sectional study with elderly people in seven Brazilian cities, 2008-2009

Author(s)

de Assumpcao, Daniela ^[1] ; Ferraz, Rosemeire de Olanda ^[1] ; Arbex Borim, Flavia Silva ^[1] ; Neri, Anita Liberalesso ^[1] ; Stolses Bergamo Francisco, Priscila Maria ^[1]

Affiliation

^[1] Univ Estadual Campinas, Fac Ciencias Med, Campinas, SP - Brazil

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: EPIDEMIOLOGIA E SERVICOS DE SAUDE; v. 29, n. 4 2020.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

Objective: to identify cut-off points for waist circumference (WC) and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) with better sensitivity, specificity and accuracy to distinguish overweight elderly people by sex, using three body mass index criteria as anthropometric references. Methods: this was a cross-sectional study that analyzed weight, height and WC measurements of 3,477 elderly people (2008-2009); receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were used to define the cut-off points. Results: WC cutoff points were 86.5cm, 88.7cm and 91.5cm in women, and 93.0cm, 96.0cm and 97.5cm in men, according to World Health Organization/WHO, Nutrition Screening Initiative/NSI and Pan American Health Organization/PAHO criteria, respectively; WHtR cut-off points corresponded to 0.57, 0.58, 0.59 in the female sex, and 0.56, 0.58 and 0.59 in the male sex; highest absolute overall accuracy values: PAHO (men) and WHO (women). Conclusion: WC and WHtR cut-off points were similar, regardless of the BMI criterion adopted. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 17/23245-0 - Longitudinal study of the Campinas and Ermelino Matarazzo cohorts of the FIBRA study: predictors and outcomes of frailty among the elderly in Brazil
• Grantee: Flávia Silva Arbex Borim
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Post-Doctoral