Simple Anthropometric Measurements Research Articles

Associations of visceral fat thickness and anthropometric measurements with non-alcoholic fatty liver disease development in male patients mono-infected with human immunodeficiency virus.

BackgroundNon-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents the most common form of chronic liver disease in mono-infected (without concomitant hepatitis B and/or C virus infection) people living with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). The proper and on time identification of at-risk HIV-positive individuals would be relevant in order to reduce the rate of progression from NAFLD into non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma.ObjectivesThe aim of this study was to explore visceral fat thickness (VFT) and anthropometric measurements associated with the development of NAFLD in patients mono-infected with HIV and on long-standing combination antiretroviral therapy (cART).MethodEighty-eight (n = 88) HIV-positive male patients, average age 39.94 ± 9.91 years, and stable on cART, were included in this prospective study. VFT was measured using ultrasonography. Anthropometric measurements included body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (W/H), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), waist and hip circumference (WC, HC). Differences between variables were determined using the chi-square test. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and the Youden index were used to determine optimal cut-off values of VFT and hepatic steatosis. The area under the curve (AUC), 95% confidence intervals, sensitivity and specificity are reported for the complete sample. Significance was set at p < 0.05.ResultsPatients with steatosis had significantly higher values of BMI, HC, WC, W/H and WHtR. The VFT was higher in patients with steatosis (p < 0.001). Specifically, VFT values above 31.98 mm and age > 38.5 years correlated with steatosis in HIV-positive patients, namely sensitivity 89%, specificity 72%, AUC 0.84 (95% CI, 0.76–0.93, p < 0.001), with the highest Youden index = 0.61. The sensitivity of the age determinant above this cut-off point was 84%, specificity 73% and AUC 0.83 (95% CI, 0.75–0.92, p < 0.001), with the highest Youden index of 0.57.ConclusionIn the absence of more advanced radiographic and histological tools, simple anthropometric measurements and VFT could assist in the early identification of persons at risk of hepatic steatosis in low- and middle-income regions.

Development and Validation of a Tool to Screen for Cognitive Frailty among Community-Dwelling Elders.

Reciprocal age-related impairments in physical and cognitive functioning have been termed 'cognitive frailty', which is associated with adverse health outcomes and is a potential target for preventing or delaying the onset of disability in older people. However, cognitive frailty as currently defined is challenging to diagnose. To facilitate earlier diagnosis and intervention, we conducted this study to develop and validate a simple evidence-based instrument to identify community-dwelling elders at risk of cognitive frailty. Retrospective analyses of data from the I-Lan Longitudinal Aging Study (ILAS) to develop a prediction model, and from the Longitudinal Aging Study of Taipei (LAST) for external validation. Community-dwelling adults from Taipei City, New Taipei City and Yilan (I-Lan) County, Taiwan. 1271 community residents ≥65 years old, without impaired global cognition or dependency for activities of daily living/instrumental activities of daily living. Demographic characteristics, anthropometric measurements, medical history, Mini-Mental State Examination, Montreal Cognitive Assessment, Functional Autonomy Measuring System, Functional Assessment Staging Test, Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale, handgrip strength, 6-metre walk speed. Baseline characteristics of groups with/without cognitive frailty were analyzed and factors differing significantly in univariate analysis input to binary logistic regression to develop a cognitive frailty risk (CFR) score. The prevalence of cognitive frailty was 15.8% overall; ILAS 21.4%, LAST 8.4%. Predictors of CFR comprised: age ≥75 years; female sex; waist circumference ≥90 cm (male), ≥80 cm (female); calf circumference <33 cm (male), <32 cm (female); memory deficits; and diabetes mellitus. CFR ≥5/14 had sensitivity of 70%, specificity of 60%, and predictive accuracy of 72%. A CFR score based on simple history-taking and anthropometric measurements integrates age, sex, cardiometabolic risk, memory deficits, sarcopenia, and nutrition, with validated predictive accuracy, and could be performed easily in community settings to identify seniors with cognitive frailty for appropriate interventions.

Development and validation of a prediction model for fat mass in children and adolescents: meta-analysis using individual participant data

ObjectivesTo develop and validate a prediction model for fat mass in children aged 4-15 years using routinely available risk factors of height, weight, and demographic information without the need for...

Neck Circumference as an Anthropometric Indicator of Central Obesity in Patients with Prediabetes: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Measurement of waist circumference has substantial variability and some limitations, while neck circumference is a simple and reliable anthropometric measure. This study aimed to assess the association between neck circumference and waist circumference and to identify the best cutoff of neck circumference that could predict central obesity in prediabetic patients. This cross-sectional study included adult patients with prediabetes, defined as having fasting plasma glucose levels ranging from 100 to 125 mg/dL or HbA1c ranging from 5.7 to 6.49%, who visited the outpatient clinic of Family Medicine Department, Ramathibodi Hospital, Thailand, during October 2014 and March 2016. Neck circumference was measured from the level just below the laryngeal prominence perpendicular to the long axis of the neck. Central obesity was defined as having waist circumference measurements greater than 90 and 80 cm for males and females, respectively. The correlation between neck circumference and waist circumference was explored by applying pairwise correlation coefficient. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was performed and Youden index equal to “sensitivity – (1-specificity)” was calculated. Neck circumference that yielded the maximum Youden index was determined as the optimal cutoff point for prediction of central obesity. There were 1,534 patients eligible for this study. After adjusting for covariables, neck circumference was found to be significantly associated with waist circumference in both females and males, with β-coefficients of 1.01 (95% CI: 0.83, 1.20) and 0.65 (95% CI: 0.46, 0.85), respectively. After applying the ROC analysis, neck circumferences ≥ 32 cm in females and ≥ 38 cm in males were determined as the best cutoff values to predict central obesity. Neck circumference is strongly correlated with waist circumference in prediabetics and should be considered as an alternative to the waist circumference measurement in screening for central obesity.

Sexual dimorphism in body composition of children in the North Backa region

Introduction. Anthropometric measurements are widely used in the assessment of growth, nutritional status and body composition in children. The objective of the study was to describe growth and body composition of children using simple anthropometric measures. Material and Methods. The investigation was performed in 13 primary schools in the territory of North Backa during 2017 and at the beginning of 2018. A total of 593 schoolchildren aged 6.50 - 10.49 years (in decimals) were included in the study. The following parameters were measured: height, weight, upper arm circumference and triceps skinfold thickness. These measurements were used to calculate the body mass index, total upper arm area, upper-arm muscle area, upper-arm fat area, and the arm fat mass percentage for each individual. Results. The study results show that children?s growth is almost linear over the first decade of life and the lean body mass increases at similar rates in boys and girls. However, girls show higher percentage of body fat and higher triceps skinfold thickness, while the body mass index is not significantly different. The secular trends in height are slowing down or have already ceased, but the weight generally continues increasing. Conclusion. Although sexual differences in anthropological measures are insignificant, the differences in body composition are evident before puberty.

Is waist circumference more strongly associated with metabolic risk factors than waist-to-height ratio in Asians?

Differential distribution of fats can vary among ethnic groups and thus have varying effects on metabolic risk. Measuring metabolic risk of individuals using simple anthropometric measurements is essential to replace current invasive methods of obtaining blood samples. Waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) has been advocated as the best simple anthropometric measurement, but, because of the high visceral fat of Asians, there has been speculation as to the possibility of using only waist circumference (WC) to measure metabolic risk. The aim of this study was to compare the performance of WC and WHtR in terms of their association with measures of obesity and metabolic risk factors (e.g., homeostasis model assessment for insulin resistance, low-density lipoprotein, triacylglycerol, and ratio of triacylglycerol to high-density lipoprotein) and to obtain an optimal cutoff value for one anthropometric measurement. The study was performed on healthy Asian Chinese (N = 527) men (n = 209) and women (n = 318) who participated in a cross-sectional study conducted at the Clinical Nutrition Research Centre located in Singapore. Association of WC and WHtR with metabolic risk factors was obtained using Spearman's rank correlation coefficient. Optimal cutoff value was obtained using receiver operating characteristic curve. WC and WHtR performed equally well in both sexes in terms of their strength of association between metabolic risk factors. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis showed that 73.5 cm (in women) and 82.5 cm (in men) were the optimal WC cutoff values to identify insulin resistance. It is suggested that WC is a simpler anthropometric measurement that has strong association with an individual's metabolic risk level.

Development and validation of two anthropometric models estimating abdominal fat percentage in Greek adult women and men

Abdominal obesity is associated with adverse health implications. However, the assessment of abdominal adiposity is either indirect, like in the case of waist circumference measurement, or difficult in daily clinical practice, like in the case of using reference methods such as computerized tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, etc. The aim of the current study was to develop and validate, using DXA as reference method, two easy and simple to use protocols, that estimate abdominal fat mass percentage (%AFM) in Greek females and males respectively, based on simple anthropometric measurements. Circumferences and skinfolds were obtained from 709 Caucasian adults (437 women and 272 men) in order to develop and validate the two equations. The validation and the reliability of the equations were examined with Bland-Altman analysis and Intraclass Correlation Coefficient (ICC). The equations were: for females, %AFM=-121,368 - (17,322×Height(m))+(76,452×log Abdominal Circumference(cm))+(18,341×log Suprailiac Skinfold(mm))+(8802×log Abdominal Skinfold(mm)), for males, %AFM=-174,117 - (15,247×Height(m))+ (104,503×log Abdominal Circumference(cm))+(9907×log Suprailiac Skinfold(mm))+(7971×log Abdominal Skinfold(mm)). The equations had no significant bias (0,203% and 0,406%, respectively), acceptable limits of agreement (±9.358% and ±8.780%, respectively) and high reliability (0,940 and 0,957, respectively). Both equations were found to be valid and reliable for Greek population. Therefore, the utilization of these equations for abdominal fat assessment could be an alternative of labor-intensive, expensive and time-consuming reference methods.

Early detection of childhood obesity through extended routine growth monitoring of children below two years of age in the Asia Pacific region.

Introduction Increased body fat deposition during early life predisposes to higher obesity and metabolic disorder risks in later life. This is particularly relevant in the Asia Pacific region where historically prevalent under-nutrition is now been paralleled or even overruled by over-nutrition over the last few decades. This overview aims to evaluate the potential of early detection of obesity (risk) among experts through addition of specific growth monitoring assessments in children during the first two years of life. Methods A discussion among experts from Malaysia, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Australia on infant growth and a qualitative evaluation of current practice highlighted the need to measure body composition to assess the quality of growth. Current tools are mainly directed towards simple anthropometric measures such as body weight, length and head circumference which do not adequately reflect concurrent changes in body composition to detect early life adiposity development. Recent findings have shown benefits of measurement such as the sum of four skinfold thickness (S4SFT) during the first two years of life for risk assessment of later overweight/obesity. We recommend this assessment for routine practice as a proxy for fat deposition in young children. Further studies to understand implementation hurdles and cost-effectiveness of S4SFT and health outcomes in young children in the Asia Pacific region are necessary. Conclusion Inclusion of four skinfold thickness measurements as part of routine growth monitoring assessment, in addition to weight and height, could be recommended to assess adiposity development in early life allowing identification of infants at risk for obesity.

Genetic variants in SEC16B are associated with body composition in black South Africans

ObjectiveThe latest genome-wide association studies of obesity-related traits have identified several genetic loci contributing to body composition (BC). These findings have not been robustly replicated in African populations, therefore, this study aimed to assess whether European BC-associated gene loci played a similar role in a South African black population.MethodsA replication and fine-mapping study was performed in participants from the Birth to Twenty cohort (N = 1,926) using the Metabochip. Measurements included body mass index (BMI), waist and hip circumference, waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), total fat mass, total lean mass and percentage fat mass (PFM).ResultsSNPs in several gene loci, including SEC16B (Padj < 9.48 × 10−7), NEGR1 (Padj < 1.64 × 10−6), FTO (Padj < 2.91 × 10−5), TMEM18 (Padj < 2.27 × 10−5), and WARS2(Padj < 3.25 × 10−5) were similarly associated (albeit not at array-wide signficance (P ≤ 6.7 × 10−7) with various phenotypes including fat mass, PFM, WHR linked to BC in this African cohort, however the associations were driven by different sentinel SNPs. More importantly, DXA-derived BC measures revealed stronger genetic associations than simple anthropometric measures. Association signals generated in this study were shared by European and African populations, as well as unique to this African cohort. Moreover, sophisticated estimates like DXA measures enabled an enhanced characterisation of genetic associations for BC traits.ConclusionResults from this study suggest that in-depth genomic studies in larger African cohorts may reveal novel SNPs for body composition and adiposity, which will provide greater insight into the aetiology of obesity.

Clinical characteristics of COPD patients with early-onset desaturation in the 6-minute walk test

BackgroundExercise-induced desaturation in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) frequently has prognostic implications. Desaturation within the first minute of the walk 6-minute walk test will probably also occur in daily life activities and translate into hypoxaemic respiratory failure at rest in later years. This study aimed at comparing these patients with those who desaturate after the first minute and determine potential markers. MethodsWe conducted a cross-sectional, retrospective study collecting data on respiratory function tests, cardiovascular comorbidity, body mass index, pack-year index, 6-minute walk test outcomes, BODE index, and Charlson comorbidity index. Patients who desaturated during the first minute of the test were referred to as early desaturators compared to the non-early ones. ResultsWe observed a higher mean body mass index in early desaturating patients, and an inverse relation as to the body mass index categories <25, 25–29, and ≥30. Early desaturators had a lower FEV1/FVC index. The mean distance walked in the test was shorter in early than in non-early desaturators, and they desaturated more deeply. ConclusionOverweight and obesity, as determined by body mass index, seem to behave like markers for early desaturation. This simple anthropometric measure might indicate point to potential early desaturation in COPD patients.

Body fat mass and distribution as predictors of metabolic outcome and weight loss after Roux-en-Y gastric bypass

BackgroundBariatric surgery such as Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB) remains the most effective treatment of obesity and associated co-morbidities. Body fat distribution associates with metabolic function. ObjectiveTo investigate if preoperative body fat mass and distribution measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DXA) predict weight loss and metabolic outcome after RYGB, and to compare predictive value of DXA with simple anthropometric measures. SettingFour Swedish hospitals within the Stockholm area. MethodsTwo hundred fifteen women scheduled for RYGB were included. Evaluations before and 2 years after RYGB included determination of insulin sensitivity by the homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance, blood pressure, plasma lipids, and anthropometric measures, such as waist-to-hip-ratio and fat percentage estimated by formula. Body fat mass and distribution were determined by DXA. ResultsFollow-up rate was 77.2% (n = 166). All clinical, anthropometric, and DXA measures were improved/reduced postsurgery (all P<.0001). Android/gynoid fat mass ratio and waist-to-hip-ratio predicted improved homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (P = .0028 and .0014), independently of body mass index and age. Body fat percentage, measured by DXA or estimated by formula, predicted percent weight loss (P<.0001 and .0083). Body mass index predicted percent weight loss and percent excess body mass index lost (P = .0022 and<.0001). DXA and anthropometric measures performed equally as predictors, except for DXA measured fat percentage that was slightly better than formula estimated. ConclusionDXA provided predictive values similar to those by basic anthropometric measures, suggesting a limited additional value of preoperative DXA to predict metabolic improvement and weight loss after RYGB in women.

Ultrasound-assessed visceral fat and associations with glucose homeostasis and cardiovascular risk in clinical practice

Background and AimsDespite the lack of evidence that assessing the global cardiovascular risk leads to a decreased incidence of cardiovascular events, accurate patient profiling is paramount in preventive medicine. An excess of visceral fat (VF) is associated with an enhanced cardiovascular risk; importantly, VF is quantifiable rapidly, cheaply and safely by ultrasound, which makes it suitable for use in clinical practice. In the present study, we aimed to evaluate if US-measured VF (USVF) could be a better predictor of glucose homeostasis and cardiovascular risk than simple anthropometric measures. Methods and ResultsOne-hundred sixty-two patients attending a Metabolic Disorders Clinic underwent a cross-sectional study for which USVF, anthropometric measures, a standard oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and calculation of cardiovascular Framingham score and vascular age were obtained. USVF was directly correlated with fasting and 2-h plasma glucose (respectively: r = 0.26, p < 0.001; r = 0.28, p < 0.0001), fasting and 2-h plasma insulin (for both: r = 0.41, p < 0.0001), homeostatic model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR; r = 0.42, p < 0.0001), cardiovascular Framingham score (r = 0.44 p < 0.0001) and vascular age (r = 0.30 p < 0.001). In receiver operator characteristic curves USVF had good diagnostic abilities for type 2 diabetes mellitus, fatty liver and metabolic syndrome, in both genders. At multivariate analysis, body mass index (BMI) outperformed USVF in the prediction of HOMA-IR; neverthless, USVF, not BMI, was an independent predictor of cardiovascular risk. Finally, models including USVF were the most parssimonious to predict Framingham score, vascular age and HOMA-IR. ConclusionIn overweight and obese subjects, USVF could usefully complement other parameters for cardiovascular risk stratification.

Waist-thigh Ratio: A Surrogate Marker for Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Asian North Indian Patients.

Introduction:Diabetes is a major world-wide healthcare problem. Cost effective markers for screening and diagnosis of T2DM are the need of the day especially in developing and under-developed countries. Simple anthropometric measurements may help us in identifying individuals likely to have diabetes.Material and Methods:Data from 1055 North-Indian subjects was analysed.Results:Out of several anthropometric measurements studied, Waist-Thigh ratio (WTR) correlated significantly and positively with all three measures of diabetes i.e. FPG, RPG and PPG. (P < .0001) suggesting that it is the best predictor of diabetes. Subjects with diabetes had greater WTR (mean 2.088) than those without (mean1.842). (P < .0001). A thresh-hold effect was evident at a cut-off WTR of 2.3. Out of those subjects who were diagnosed to have diabetes by AACE/AHA guidelines, 82% had WTR greater than this value (P < 0.001).Conclusion:WTR may prove to be a simple and inexpensive marker for detecting Type 2 diabetes. Larger studies are required to develop population norms.

Use of a Simple Anthropometric Measurement to Identify Low-Birth-Weight Infants in Enugu, Nigeria

Background. This prospective study was conducted to identify a suitable alternative to birth weight and establish its cutoff point to facilitate the identification of low-birth-weight (LBW) infants in Enugu, Southeast Nigeria. Methods. The study involved newborn babies within the first 48 hours of life. Five anthropometric measurements (head, chest, mid-arm and calf circumferences, as well as abdominal girth) were taken using a tape measure while supine length was measured with an aluminum infantometer. Birth weight was also recorded. Linear regression analysis was done to identify the measurement with the highest coefficient of determination with birth weight while its cutoff point was defined using a receiver operating characteristic curve. Standard statistical tests were used to determine the statistical significance of the findings. Results. The LBW prevalence for the study population was 21.41%. Chest circumference had the highest R2 value of 0.83 for the general study population and 0.72 for the LBW infants. The identified cutoff point for chest circumference is ⩽30 cm. Conclusion. Chest circumference is the best alternative to birth weight in identifying LBW babies within the first 48 hours of life in this environment.

Comparative associations between anthropometric and bioelectric impedance analysis derived adiposity measures with blood pressure and hypertension in India: a cross-sectional analysis

BackgroundThe utility of bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) derived adiposity measures as compared to anthropometric measures for the assessment of adiposity-related health risk is not clear. We aimed to clarify the relationships of BIA and anthropometric derived adipose measures with blood pressure and hypertension, and to compare the discriminative ability of the respective measures for hypertension.MethodsWe used baseline data collected between 2015 and 2016 from the Indian Study on Health of Adults (ISHA), an ongoing population based cohort study in India (N = 5990; age 30–69 years). We examined and compared the associations and discriminative ability between anthropometric (body mass index, waist circumference, hip circumference, waist-hip ratio, waist-height ratio) and BIA (whole body and trunk fat percentage) derived adiposity measures with blood pressure components (systolic pressure, diastolic pressure, pulse pressure, mean arterial pressure, mid-blood pressure) and hypertension.ResultsRegardless of whether the adiposity measure was derived from BIA or anthropometry, all were strongly and positively associated with blood pressure and hypertension. For both men and women, the magnitude of association of BIA measures with blood pressure and hypertension were comparable to those of anthropometric measures. Further, the ability of BIA derived adiposity measures to distinguish between those with and without hypertension was similar to the discriminative ability of anthropometric measures.ConclusionsAs compared to simple anthropometric measures, BIA derived estimates of adiposity provide no apparent advantage in the assessment of blood pressure and hypertension. The observed similarities between adiposity measures suggest that simple anthropometrics may be sufficient to assess adiposity and adiposity-related risks.

Body composition measures and cardiovascular risk in high-risk ethnic groups

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) is highly prevalent in Suriname, a middle-income country with predominantly people of African and Asian ancestry. We examined whether the more comprehensive body composition measures determined by bioelectrical impedance analysis (BIA) are superior to the more traditional BMI and waist measures in relation to cardiovascular risk. Data from the cross-sectional Healthy Life in Suriname (HELISUR) study were used to calculate BMI, waist-hip ratio, waist-to-height ratio, and waist circumference. BIA was used to estimate fat percentage, fat-free mass index, and fat-to-fat-free mass ratio. High cardiovascular risk was defined as 1) a 10-year Framingham coronary heart disease risk score ≥10% in African-Surinamese and ≥12% in Asian-Surinamese, and 2) an increased arterial stiffness (pulse wave velocity >10m/s). Using logistic regression analysis, we pre-selected the strongest correlate (i.e. lowest p-value below 0.05) of all body composition items for both outcomes of cardiovascular risk separately, and subsequently, used forward logistic regression modelling to determine whether other measures added value to the initial model with the strongest correlate (-2 log-likelihood (-2LL) of initial model minus-2LL of new model, χ-square statistic >3.841, 1 df). Analyses were adjusted for sex, age and ethnicity. We examined 691 participants (65% women; 48% African-Surinamese) with a mean age of 42 (SD 14) years. Waist circumference was the strongest correlate for high 10-year CVD risk in the total group, in men and African-Surinamese. In Asian-Surinamese, fat-free mass index was the strongest correlate of high 10-year CVD risk. Increased arterial stiffness was most strongly related with waist-to-height ratio in the total group and in African-Surinamese, and with BMI in men. None of the measures were significantly associated in women (for both outcomes) and Asian-Surinamese (for increased arterial stiffness). Forward selection showed that only BMI added value next to waist-to-height ratio in the total group in relation to increased arterial stiffness. Waist measures, in particular waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio, and BMI should be used in African and Asian-Surinamese to identify who is at increased cardiovascular risk. Overall, we found little advantage in using BIA measures rather than simple anthropometric measures.

Which anthropometric measures best reflect neonatal adiposity?

Studying the determinants and the long-term consequences of fetal adipose accretion requires accurate assessment of neonatal body composition. In large epidemiological studies, in-depth body composition measurement methods are usually not feasible for cost and logistical reasons, and there is a need to identify anthropometric measures that adequately reflect neonatal adiposity. In a multiethnic Asian mother-offspring cohort in Singapore, anthropometric measures (weight, length, abdominal circumference, skinfold thicknesses) were measured using standardized protocols in newborn infants, and anthropometric indices (weight/length, weight/length2 (body mass index, BMI), weight/length3 (ponderal index, PI)) derived. Neonatal total adiposity was measured using air displacement plethysmography (ADP) and abdominal adiposity using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Correlations of the anthropometric measures with ADP- and MRI-based adiposity were assessed using Pearson's correlation coefficients (rp), including in subsamples stratified by sex and ethnicity. Study neonates (n=251) had a mean (s.d.) age of 10.2 (2.5) days. Correlations between ADP-based fat mass (ADPFM) and anthropometric measures were moderate (rp range: 0.44-0.67), with the strongest being with weight/length, weight, BMI and sum of skinfolds (rp=0.67, 0.66, 0.62, 0.62, respectively, all P<0.01). All anthropometric measures except skinfold thicknesses correlated more strongly with ADP-based fat-free mass than ADPFM, indicating that skinfold measures may have more discriminative power in terms of neonatal total body adiposity. For MRI-based measures, weight and weight/length consistently showed strong positive correlations (rp⩾0.7) with abdominal adipose tissue compartments. These correlations were consistent in boys and girls, across different ethnic groups, and when conventional determinants of neonatal adiposity were adjusted for potential confounding. Abdominal circumference was not strongly associated with ADPFM or abdominal fat mass. Simple anthropometric measures (weight and weight/length) correlated strongly with neonatal adiposity, with some evidence for greater discriminative power for skinfold measures. These simple measures could be of value in large epidemiological studies.

Reliability of Head, Neck, and Trunk Anthropometric Measurements Used for Predicting Segment Tissue Masses in Living Humans.

Soft and rigid tissue mass prediction equations have been previously developed and validated for the segments of the upper and lower extremities in living humans using simple anthropometric measurements. The reliability of these measurements has been found to be good to excellent for all measurement types (segment lengths, circumferences, breadths, skinfolds). However, the reliability of the measurements needed to develop corresponding equations for the head, neck, and trunk has yet to be determined. The purpose of this study was to quantify the inter- and intrameasurer reliability of 34 surface anthropometric measurements of the head, neck, and trunk segments. Measurements (11 lengths, 7 circumferences, 11 breadths, 5 skinfolds) were taken twice separately on 50 healthy, university-age individuals using standard anthropometric tools. The mean inter- and intrameasurer measurement differences were fairly small overall, with 64.7% and 67.6% of the relative differences less than 5%, respectively. All measurements, except for the right lateral trunk, had intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) greater than 0.75, and coefficients of variation (CVs) less than 10%, indicating good reliability overall. These results are consistent with previous work for the extremities and provide support for the use of the defined surface measurements for future tissue mass prediction equation development.

Adductor pollicis muscle thickness has a low association with lean mass in women

Lean mass (LM) is a functional component of body composition and is an important parameter of nutritional status assessment. The adductor pollicis muscle thickness (APMT) has been used as a predictor of LM, but it is not well known if this method presents a higher prediction of LM than simple anthropometric measurements, such as weight. Thus, we aimed to associate APMT (alone and plus weight) with LM in women. This cross-sectional study was conducted with 82 young and postmenopausal women. Body weight (Filizola®) and height (Welmy®) was quantified and APMT was measured by Lange® caliper. Body composition (LM and fat percentage) was estimated by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. APMT was positively correlated with LM (r=0.35; p=0.001), however, weight was strongly correlated with LM (r=0.81; p<0.001). APMT showed a prediction of 12% of LM (β=0.346, R2=0.120, p<0.001), and weight explained the variations of LM by 65% (β=0.808, R2=0.654, p<0.001). When weight and APMT were evaluated together, there was an increase of only 0.06% in LM prediction (β=0.820, R2=0.655, p<0.001), compared to weight alone. When compared to weight, APMT showed a low association with LM. These results suggest that a simpler anthropometric measurement, such as weight, can be a better predictor of LM than APMT.

Associations between anthropometric parameters and lipid profiles in Chinese individuals with age ≥40 years and BMI

BackgroundLipid abnormalities are associated with overweight and obesity. Some simple anthropometric measurements such as body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC), waist-to-hip ratio (WHpR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR), may link to increased risk of dyslipidemia. However, diverse results were found in different population studies. We focused on the associations between these measurements and dyslipidemia in non-obese (BMI <28kg/m2) population aged more than 40 years.Methods and findingsCross-sectional study of 4185 non-obese adults aged more than 40 years was conducted in Nanchang, Jiangxi province, China. Questionnaire, anthropometric and laboratory tests were conducted. The National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults (Adult Treatment Panel III) criteria were used to define high total cholesterol (TC), high low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), hypertriglyceridemia and dyslipidemia. The overall prevalence of high TC, high LDL-C, low HDL-C, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia and dyslipidemia were 15.68%, 27.98%, 20.12%, 44.01%, 21.98% and 49.06% respectively. Multiple logistic regressions showed only BMI (per quartile increment) increased risks for prevalent high LDL-C, low HDL-C, hypercholesterolemia, hypertriglyceridemia, and dyslipidemia. Regardless of sex, age and prevalent metabolic syndrome, increasing BMI was persistently independent risk factor for having low HDL-C, hypercholesterolemia and dyslipidemia, however was not associated with high TC.ConclusionsIn non-obese Chinese population aged more than 40 years, increasing BMI may better identify the prevalent dyslipidemia than other anthropometric measurements. However, due to the different meanings, both BMI and WC should be measured and monitored for metabolic risk assessment.