Evaluation of existing and candidate measures of obesity for detection of insulin resistance and cardiometabolic risk among Asian Indians: development of two clinically useful models

Abstract

Background: The optimal measure of obesity continues to be debated. The objective of this study was to evaluate existing and candidate measures of obesity for detecting the presence of cardiometabolic risk and insulin resistance among Asian Indians.

Methods: Anthropometry, detailed body composition analysis, blood pressure, lipids, fasting blood glucose and fasting serum insulin were measured in a cross-sectional study involving 507 subjects from North India.

Results: In females, all indices of obesity, except waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) and total body fat (TBF) to waist circumference (WC) ratio and in men, all indices of obesity including fat mass index and WHR, were significantly associated with insulin resistance and cardiovascular risk factors (p<0.05). Using stepwise logistic regression, two models were developed excluding WC and WHR, respectively. In model 1, subscapular skinfold thickness, WHR and age in males, and waist circumference to square of height ratio (WS(2)R) and age in females; and in model 2, subscapular skinfold thickness, WS(2)R and visceral adiposity index in males, and TBF to WC ratio, WS(2)R and age in females showed strong and significant association with the presence of cardiovascular risk factors or insulin resistance.

Conclusions: The clinical models for measurement of obesity developed by us would help in detecting cardiometabolic risk in Asian Indians.