BMI and waist circumference as indicators of health among Samoan women

Abstract

Objective: High rates of obesity and chronic disease make establishment of effective indicators of risk for chronic disease important. The objective was to examine adequacy of anthropometric cut-off points as indicators of risk for chronic disease among Samoan women in Hawaii.

Research methods and procedures: A cross-sectional survey of 55 Samoan women 18 to 28 years of age that included blood lipids, cholesterol, and glucose (including after a 2-hour oral glucose test); anthropometry (weight, height, waist circumference); and DXA of body composition.

Results: Using the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/World Health Organization (WHO) cut-off points for BMI, 22% of women were overweight and 58% were obese. Cholesterol, lipid, and glucose values were all linearly related to DXA body fat, BMI, and waist circumference. BMI and waist circumference at WHO/NIH cut-off points predicted levels of blood lipids and glucose that indicate elevated risk for disease.

Discussion: WHO/NIH cut-off points for BMI and waist circumference reflect risk indicators of chronic disease among young Samoan women in Hawaii.