Abdominal obesity and the 'hypertriglyceridaemic waist' phenotype

摘要

Generalised obesity, measured by body mass index (weight (kg)/(height (m)~2)), is one of the major causes of ill health in western society. However, abdominal obesity—which is closely associated with intra-abdominal fat and measured either by waist circumference or waist:hip ratio—predicts subsequent coronary artery disease better than body mass index. Furthermore, obesity, particularly abdominal obesity, is associated with insulin resistance, andrnpredicts the development of type 2 diabetes. On p 716 Despres et al argue that waist circumference should be routinely measured in primary care and used to identify people with abdominal obesity, on whom efforts to reduce obesity should be targeted.