Anthropometric parameters as a tool for diabetes screening

Abstract

Aim. Despite obesity is defined by a number of indices (body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WT), waist / hip index (W/H)) which are associated with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), the clinical diagnosis of obesity is often limited to BMI. Here we investigated whether anthropometric measurements are useful in T2DM screening.Materials and Methods. We collected the data regarding T2DM, BMI, WT, W/H, amount of visceral fat, and visceral obesity index from 1600 residents of Kemerovo Region, having further compared the prevalence of T2DM in obese individuals in relation to the various anthropometric measurements.Results. The prevalence of T2DM among obese males varied from 17.0% (W/H ratio) to 22.4% (amount of visceral fat). Among women, T2DM frequency varied from 13.1% (visceral obesity index) to 28.9% (amount of visceral fat). Prevalence of T2DM in non-obese subjects ranged from 1.6% (W/H ratio) to 8.8% (visceral obesity index) in men and from 1.9% (WT) to 8.8% (amount of visceral fat). T2DM was better diagnosed in males if visceral obesity index was exclusively applied. In women, the most precise T2DM diagnosis was achieved in the case of using visceral obesity index and BMI.Conclusions. Identification of risk groups for T2DM requires addition of visceral obesity criteria (visceral obesity index and amount of visceral fat) to BMI.