Farooq Ahmad Khan, Sikandar Hayat Khan, Amir Ijaz, Abdus Sattar, Mohammad Dilawar, Rizwan Hashim.
Common anthropometric indices and insulin resistance.
Pak J Med Res Jan ;48(2):39-43.

Objective: To correlate common anthropometric indices with insulin resistance. Subject and Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted at the Department of Chemical Pathology and Endocrinology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi, between April 2004 to March 2006.The target population constituted subjects who presented at the institute for evaluation of their glucose fasting. A total of 141 subjects were selected for the study and they were categorized into 4 groups depending upon their glucose levels. Normoglycemic (plasma glucose fasting < 5.5 mmol/L) impaired test (plasma glucose fasting > 5.6 to 6.9 mmol/L) diabetes mellitus (plasma glucose fasting 7.0 to 9.9 mmol/L) and severe diabetes mellitus (plasma glucose fasting > 10 mmol/L). Common anthropometric indices including weight, body mass index, waist circumference, waist to hip ratios, waist to height ratios and body mass index adjusted for waist to hip ratio were measured on each individual as per World Health Organization guidelines on physical status. Homeostasis Model Assessment for Insulin Resistance was used as a marker for measuring insulin resistance and the calculations were made following Mathew’s method. Results: Waist to hip ratio proved to be the most useful anthropometric index in the evaluation of insulin resistance and obesity [r=+0.5361]; while it’s adjustment with body mass index or with waist to hip ratio did not improve the diagnostic performance[r=+0.507 and r=+0.333 respectively]. Parameters like weight [r=+0.137], waist circumference [r=+0.196] and body mass index [r=+0.299] were not useful in the assessment of insulin resistance. Conclusion: Waist circumference correlated better with insulin resistance than other routinely used anthropometric parameters.

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