Objectives: The waist-to-stature ratio (WSR) is newly developed index, proposed to be of greater value as a simple anthropometric indicator, for predicting abdominal obesity and related cardiovascular co-morbidities in adults and children. This study examined age and gender differences in waist-to-stature (WSR) as measure of centripetal fat patterning in a sample of children in Pretoria, South Africa.

The aim of this study was to develop age and sex specific reference values for waist circumference (WC) based on a sample of 2015 primary school children (i.e. 979 boys and 1036 girls aged 9 12 years) who were randomly selected from 19 primary schools in Makurdi, Benue State of Nigeria. Waist and hip circumferences were measured wi th a flexible anthropometric tape according to the protocol of the International Society for the Advancement of Kinanthropometry (ISAK). Mean WC was higher in girls than in boys, and these differences were statistically signi ficant from age 10 onwards. Similarly, hip circumference was significantly higher (p<0.05) in girls than in boys at all ages. Whereas waist and hip circumferences increased with age in both sexes, the increase was relatively greater for hip circumference. Generally, waist related percentiles values increased wi th age in boys and girls, but girls had higher values than boys in most of the age specific percentiles. WC showed significantly higher (p <0.0001) values in girls than in boys at ages 10 12 years, and this increased with age in both categories. The reference data obtained in this study can be used to identify children with high risk of developing obesity related disorders and form the basis for future research studies.

No description available.

Adiposity has been linked to impaired respiratory function in adults but whether the distribution of adipose tissue has a differential effect on pulmonary function is still uncertain. Moreover, in children, the relationship between adiposity and lung dysfunction is not clearly understood. A two-stage multivariate analysis was conducted using data from 5604 Canadians aged 6 to 79 years who participated in the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS). The associations of various anthropometric and skinfold measures with lung function were examined separately in adults and children. After adjustment of covariates, waist circumference and subscapular skinfold thickness showed the strongest inverse associations with FVC and FEV1 in men. In women, BMI and sum of five skinfolds had the largest impact on pulmonary function. FVC and FEV1 in boys were most affected by waist-to-hip ratio and triceps skinfold. In girls, adiposity was not linked to the lung function testing variables. Adiposity measures have differing effects on respiratory function depending on age and sex group.

Abstract Validity of waist-to-height ratio as a screening tool for type 2 diabetes risk in non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, and Mexican American Adult Women, from the ages 20-65 years of age. Background: A prominent screening measure for type 2 diabetes is a simple measure of waist circumference. Waist circumference is an aggregate measurement of the actual amount of total and abdominal fat accumulation and is a crucial correlate of the complexities found among obese and overweight patients. However, waist circumference does not take into consideration the frame of an individual. Hence, recent epidemiologic data have suggested the use of height adjusted waist circumference (waist-to-height ratio). The use of waist-to-height ratio in screening for type 2 diabetes is poorly understood. Aims: The aim of this study is to determine racial/ethnic differences in the association of the independent variables waist-to-height ratio and waist circumference, with type 2 diabetes in non-Hispanic Whites, non-Hispanic Blacks, and Mexican American adult women, ages 20-65 years old. Methods: Data from the NHANES 2007-2008 surveys were used. Race/ethnic specific odds ratios from univariate and multivariate logistic regression models were to estimate the associations of waist-to-height ratio and waist circumference with type 2 diabetes. In the multivariate models, adjustments were made for age and alcohol use. Results: In the univariate models, WC was associated with 1.06, 1.07 and 1.04 increased odds of type 2 diabetes in Mexican Americans, non-Hispanic Whites and non-Hispanic Blacks, respectively. The corresponding values waist-to-height ratio were 2.85, 3.20 and 1.88, respectively. On adjusting for confounders, WC was associated with 1.07, 1.05, and 1.05 increased odds of type 2 diabetes in Mexican Americans, non-Hispanic Whites and non-Hispanic Blacks, respectively. WHtR was associated with 2.95, 2.38, and 2.37 increased odds of type 2 diabetes in Mexican Americans, non-Hispanic Whites and non-Hispanic Blacks, respectively. Conclusion: This study indicates that WHtR may be a powerful anthropometric predictor of risk for type 2 diabetes for Mexican American, non-Hispanic White and non-Hispanic Black American women ages 20-65.The literature on WHtR as a screening tool for type 2 diabetes in American women is lacking. This study is one of the first to examine the association between WHtR across varying races of American women. Future researchers should explore populations of women and men in the US with more races represented.

BACKGROUND: Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease (CVD) are among the leading causes of death in the United States. The Metabolic Syndrome, which comprises a cluster of cardiometabolic risk factors, puts individuals at increased risk for these diseases. It is therefore important that people with Metabolic Syndrome, at high risk for CVD and type 2 diabetes, are identified and treated. Since it may not often be practical to obtain the laboratory measures necessary for diagnosing the Metabolic Syndrome, simple anthropometric measures are a useful way of quickly identifying individuals at increased risk for the Metabolic Syndrome. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this thesis is to evaluate the utility of three of the most commonly used anthropometric measures – Body Mass Index (BMI), Waist Circumference (WC), and Waist-to-Height Ratio (WC) – for classifying individuals with and without the Metabolic Syndrome and its component risk factors in the United States. Using Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis and Area Under the Curve (AUC) statistics, this thesis will assess the utility of each body measurement and compare it to BMI. METHODS: A large, multi-ethnic, nationally representative sample from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2007-2010 was used for this analysis. The study sample was restricted to adults aged 20-65 with complete information on height, weight, waist circumference, blood pressure, HDL cholesterol, fasting glucose, and triglycerides (n=3,769). In order to compare the utility of different anthropometric measures for classification, weighted ROC curves were constructed for each anthropometric measure-outcome combination and AUC statistics were compared. AUC statistics were calculated by approximating the definite integral of the ROC curves with the trapezoidal rule. Variances for AUC statistics and differences in AUC statistics were estimated with jackknife repeated replication. Analyses were completed for the entire sample and separately for non-Hispanic whites, non-Hispanic blacks, and Mexican Americans. RESULTS: For the entire sample, WC (AUC=0.752) did a better job than BMI (AUC=0.728) at classifying individuals with and without the Metabolic Syndrome (p CONCLUSION: Waist circumference should be considered, especially over BMI, for risk stratification in clinical settings and research. Further research should attempt to identify optimum waist circumference cut points for use in the US population.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Adiposity has been linked to impaired respiratory function in adults but whether the distribution of adipose tissue has a differential effect on pulmonary function is still uncertain. Moreover, in children, the relationship between adiposity and lung dysfunction is not clearly understood. A two-stage multivariate analysis was conducted using data from 5604 Canadians aged 6 to 79 years who participated in the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS). The associations of various anthropometric and skinfold measures with lung function were examined separately in adults and children. After adjustment of covariates, waist circumference and subscapular skinfold thickness showed the strongest inverse associations with FVC and FEV1 in men. In women, BMI and sum of five skinfolds had the largest impact on pulmonary function. FVC and FEV1 in boys were most affected by waist-to-hip ratio and triceps skinfold. In girls, adiposity was not linked to the lung function testing variables. Adiposity measures have differing effects on respiratory function depending on age and sex group.

Thesis (Ph.D. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2010.

Adiposity has been linked to impaired respiratory function in adults but whether the distribution of adipose tissue has a differential effect on pulmonary function is still uncertain. Moreover, in children, the relationship between adiposity and lung dysfunction is not clearly understood. A two-stage multivariate analysis was conducted using data from 5604 Canadians aged 6 to 79 years who participated in the Canadian Health Measures Survey (CHMS). The associations of various anthropometric and skinfold measures with lung function were examined separately in adults and children. After adjustment of covariates, waist circumference and subscapular skinfold thickness showed the strongest inverse associations with FVC and FEV1 in men. In women, BMI and sum of five skinfolds had the largest impact on pulmonary function. FVC and FEV1 in boys were most affected by waist-to-hip ratio and triceps skinfold. In girls, adiposity was not linked to the lung function testing variables. Adiposity measures have differing effects on respiratory function depending on age and sex group.