Sensitivity and Specificity of Anthropometric Indices in Identifying Obesity in Women over 40 Years of Age and Their Variability in Subsequent Decades of Life

Abstract

Anthropometric measurements and indices are a simple and inexpensive method to assess normal physical development and quickly identify the risk of diseases. The aim of the study was to verify the sensitivity (Se) and specificity (Sp) of selected anthropometric indices in a group of women over 40 years. The study included 87 women (group I-40 to 49 years, group II-50 to 59 years, group III-60 to 69 years, and group IV-70 to 79 years). Anthropometric characteristics were measured: body mass (BM), body height (BH), waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference (HC). Body mass index (BMI), body adiposity index (BAI), waist-hip ratio (WHR), and waist-to-height ratio (WHTR) were calculated. The percentage of fat tissue (FT) and visceral fat volume (FV) were evaluated using DEXA. A decrease in mean BH with an increase in the mean WC, WHR, and WHTR in subsequent decades. There were strong statistically significant correlations between FT and most indicators (except for WHR). FV was correlated at a strong or moderate level with most parameters. In the group of women aged 40 to 80 years, the most favorable AUC was obtained for WC, followed by BMI. BAI can be recommended as a complementary indicator to BMI.

Keywords: 40+; anthropometric indices; body mass index; obesity; women.

Figure 1

Variation of parameters in subsequent decades of life (group I—40–49 years of age, group II—50–59 years, group III—60–69 years, and group IV—70–79 years) (a) Variation of BH, WC, BMI, BAI; (b) Variation of WHR and WHTR.

Figure 2

A summary of ROC curves for WC, BMI, BAI, and WHTR.