Endocrine Abstracts

Introduction: Metabolic syndrome is closely related to abdominal obesity. Classic anthropometric indices such as bmi and waist circumference have been used for the screening of metabolic syndrome.

Recently, it has been reported that waist to height ratio is more closely associated with insulin resistance.

The aim of the present study was to assess the relationship between waist to height ratio and components of metabolic syndrome among type 2 diabetic patients.

Methods: We conducted a cross sectional analysis in 121 type 2 diabetic patients (56 women and 65 men). We measured anthropometric parameters (body weight, height, waist circumference) of each patient. BMI was calculated as the body weight divided by the height squared. Waist to height ratio was calculated as the waist circumference divided by height.

Fasting blood specimens were collected to measure fasting glucose, HbA1c, total cholesterol and triglycerides.

Results: The mean age of the study participants was 57.76±15.24 years. Waist to height ratio was 0.64±0.08 in women and 0.55±0.07 in men (P<0,001). Statistic analysis showed significant positive correlations between waist to height ratio and respectively BMI (r=0.79, P<0.001), waist circumference (r=0.9, P<0.001), systolic blood pressure (r=0.28, P=0.002), diastolic blood pressure (r=0.218, P=0.01), total cholesterol (r=0.3, P=0.001) and triglycerides (r=0.314, P<0.001). However, There were virtually no correlations between waist to height ratio and fasting glucose (r=−0.018, P=0.8) nor with HbA1c (r=−0.13, P=0.11).

Conclusion: Based on the present findings, waist to height ratio may be useful to predict the presence of metabolic syndrome in type 2 diabetic patients.