Positive and negative likelihood ratios of two anthropometric indices (Waist/Height Index versus Waist/Hip Index) in the diagnosis of overweight and obesity pathological nutritional situations

Abstract

Introduction. From an epidemiological approach, obesity can be considered as a risk factor for the development of some diseases, or as a disease in itself. Basically, the risk factors for the development of obesity are genetic, physiological and environmental, including unhealthy lifestyles. Non–healthy lifestyles are those that have the most influence as risk factors for the development or not of obesity. Objective. Determine whether or not each of two anthropometric indices has sufficient prognostic efficiency by combining sensitivity and specificity in a single expression using positive and negative likelihood ratios. Material and methods. Three hundred adult patients who attended the "Jose Maria Morelos" Integral Hospital were studied. As a reference test, the Equation of the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company was used. Results. The results for the positive likelihood ratios corresponded to 13.4 and 1.7 for the anthropometric indices Waist/Height Index and Waist/Hip Index, respectively. The results for the negative likelihood ratios corresponded, respectively, to 0.07 and 0.5 for the anthropometric indices Waist/Height Index and Waist/Hip Index. Conclusions. The results of the positive and negative likelihood ratios report sufficient prognostic efficiencies for the Waist/Height Index. On the other hand, the results of the positive and negative likelihood ratios report, respectively, insignificant prognostic efficiency and poor prognostic efficiency for the Waist/Hip Index.