Different Waist Circumferences, Different Metabolic Risks in Koreans

Abstract

Objective: We investigated the difference in metabolic parameters by waist circumference (WC) and body mass index (BMI) in a population of Korean men and women.Method: We collected data on 69,535 Korean men and women and performed a cross-sectional analysis of the data. Study subjects were grouped by BMI and WC. We measured metabolic parameters for each group and compared the differences in the metabolic abnormalities. Subjects were grouped as follows: normal group (NG; normal WC and normal BMI); centrally obese group (COG; high WC and normal BMI); generally obese group (GOG; normal WC and high BMI); and combined obese group (COM; high WC and high BMI).Results: Subjects in the COM group showed more metabolic parameter abnormalities in comparison to the other groups. In men, triglyceride (TG) and fasting blood glucose (FBG) levels were higher in the COG than in the GOG. Correspondingly, total cholesterol (TC), TG, and FBG levels were higher in the female COG than in the female GOG. In addition, the mean numbers of abnormal metabolic parameters in the COG were higher than in the GOG for both men and women. More men and women developed metabolic syndrome in the COG (39.1% in men, 33.0% in women) than in the GOG (9.7% in men, 7.8% in women).Conclusion: Among Koreans, the COG had more metabolic abnormalities and metabolic syndrome than the GOG.

Anthropometric, Hemodynamic, Metabolic, and Renal Responses during 5 Days of Food and Water Deprivation

“…Waist circumference (WC) increase is associated with increase of the risks of death [18,19], cardiovascular disease (CVD) [20,21], diabetes [19], metabolic syndrome [17,21,22], cancer [23], chronic respiratory disease [24,25], sleep apnea [16], and kidney stone formation [26]. Waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) increase is associated with increase of the risks of metabolic syndrome [22], CVD [20,21], and cancer [23]. Waist-to-hip ratio (WHR) increase is associated with increase of the risks of mortality [18], CVD [20], and cancer [23].…”

Phenotypic and metabolic dichotomy in obesity: clinical, biochemical and immunological correlates of metabolically divergent obese phenotypes in healthy South Asian adults

“…(15) This finding was supported by evidence from clinical experience and epidemiological studies, wherein it was observed that there were many obese individuals who did not manifest the adverse phenotypic markers associated with increased cardiovascular mortality. (8) Over the years, studies have indicated the presence of a metabolically healthy obese phenotype in populations representing a variety of ages and ethnicities, among them adolescents, (16) the elderly, (17) Europeans, (18,19) Americans, (20) Africans, (21) Koreans, (22) Chinese (23) and Indians. (24) This theory also generated a great deal of popular interest, not only from the point of view of health economics (in which the existence of an obese state that does not require intervention, and thus allows for selective targeting of obesity had tremendous appeal), but also from patients'…”