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Waist-to-height ratio, a useful index to identify high metabolic risk in overweight children.

Maffeis C, Banzato C, Talamini G,

Department of Mother and Child, Biology-Genetics, Pediatric Unit, University of Verona, Verona, Italy.

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether using a combination of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) or waist-to-height ratio (W/Hr) is clinically helpful in identifying children with high metabolic and cardiovascular risks. STUDY DESIGN: Caucasian children (M/F: 740/739; n = 1479; ages 5 to 15 years) were studied. Anthropometry, blood pressure, and venous fasting blood samples tested for triacylglycerol, HDL cholesterol, and glucose were measured. RESULTS: Overweight children with a large waist (>90(th) percentile) or high W/Hr (>0.5) but not obese or normal-weight children had significantly greater chances of being at high metabolic and cardiovascular risk than normal-weight children (OR: 7; 95% CI: 3.63-13.48; P < .001, OR: 8.16; 95% CI: 3.87-17.23; P < .001, respectively) with a low waist measurement (</=90(th) percentile) or W/Hr (</=0.5). Interestingly, waist and W/Hr cutoffs (90(th) percentile and 0.5, respectively) were both able to identify children with the highest metabolic and cardiovascular risks among those who were overweight. However, contrary to waist circumference, W/Hr has the advantage of not requiring population specific reference tables as well as age and sex specific cutoffs. CONCLUSIONS: Waist circumference and W/Hr are helpful in detecting, among overweight children, those with a higher likelihood of having metabolic and cardiovascular risks.

Published 21 January 2008 in J Pediatr, 152(2): 207-13.
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