Utility of body mass index, waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio as screening tools for hyperglycemia in young people

• Published in: Archives of Endocrinology and Metabolism Vol. 60; no. 6; pp. 526 - 531
• Main Authors: Quadros, Teresa Maria Bianchini de, Gordia, Alex Pinheiro, Mota, Jorge, Silva, Luciana Rodrigues
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Brazil Sociedade Brasileira de Endocrinologia e Metabologia 01.11.2016; Brazilian Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism
• Subjects: Adolescent; anthropometry; Blood Glucose - analysis; Body Mass Index; Brazil - epidemiology; Child; Cross-Sectional Studies; Data Accuracy; diabetes mellitus; Fasting - blood; Female; Humans; hyperglycemia; Hyperglycemia - diagnosis; Hyperglycemia - epidemiology; Male; Mass Screening - standards; Pediatric obesity; pediatrics; Prevalence; Sensitivity and Specificity; Waist Circumference; Waist-Height Ratio
• ISSN: 2359-3997; 2359-4292; 2359-3997; 2359-4292
• DOI: 10.1590/2359-3997000000226

To evaluate the ability of BMI, WC and WHtR to discriminate hyperglycemia in young people, and to determine whether there is an increase in the accuracy with the addition of WC and/or WHtR to BMI. A cross-sectional study was conducted on 1,139 schoolchildren aged 6 to 17 years from Northeastern Brazil. Body weight, height, WC and fasting glucose levels were measured, and the BMI and WHtR were calculated. The presence of hyperglycemia was defined as a fasting glucose level ≥ 100 mg/dL. The prevalence of hyperglycemia was 6.6%. Strong correlations were observed between the anthropometric indicators studied (BMI vs. WC = 0.87; BMI vs. WHtR = 0.87; WC vs. WHtR = 0.90). Hyperglycemia was more likely to be present in young people with excess weight (PR = 1.70), high WC (PR = 1.85), and high WHtR (PR = 1.91). The accuracies to discriminate hyperglycemia were significant, but low, for the individual (BMI = 0.56; WC = 0.53; WHtR = 0.55) and combined indicators (BMI + WC = 0.55; BMI + WHtR = 0.55). Our findings do not support the use of BMI, WC or WHtR as screening tools for hyperglycemia in children and adolescents.