The Relationship between Waist Circumference/Height Ratio and Risk Factors of Cardiovascular Disease in Obese Females

BACKGROUND: In this study we estimated the prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors according to waist-to- height ratio (W/Ht ratio) in adult obese women to ensure the importance of abdominal obesity and determined the usefulness of W/Ht ratio as a index of abdominal obesity in adult obese women. METHODS: The study subjects were 190 adult obese women who visited an obesity clinic from August, 2001 to January, 2003. They were divided into 4 groups: Group 1; BMI or =0.6, Group 3; BMI> or =30, W/Ht or =30, W/Ht> or =0.6. In each group, we compared the prevalence and odds ratio for CV risk factors. RESULTS: In obese group, the prevalence of high blood glucose (P<0.01), hypertriglyceridemia (P<0.01) were significantly higher in group 2 than group 1. In high obese group, the prevalence of systolic hypertension (P<0.01), high blood glucose (P<0.01), hypercholesterolemia (P<0.01), hypertriglyceridemia (P<0.05), and high LDL-cholesterol were significantly higher in group 4 than group 3. When odds ratio for each group with reference to group 1 were compared after adjusting for age, high blood glucose (4.48), and hypertriglyceridemia (6.10) in group 2, and systolic hypertension (2.69), high blood glucose (3.02), and hypertriglyceridemia (4.00) in group 4 were significantly higher. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of CV risk factors were likely to be increased in higher W/Ht group independently to BMI. W/Ht ratio can be a simple, useful index for abdominal obesity and its related risk factors not only in adult males but also in adult obese women.

Effects of the 8-week Resistance Exercise on Body Composition, Serum Hormone Profiles and Feeding Patterns of Obese Females

This study was designed to investigate the effects of 8-week resistance exercise by using dumbell on the body composition, serum hormone profiles and feeding patterns in young and healthy female students with over 30% of body fat, aged 22 years in Masan, Korea. The subjects were all six, performed successfully the entire exercise-program. Anthropometry, serum lipid and neurohormone profiles of subjects were analyzed at 0, 4 and 8 weeks after exercise. And also their food and nutrient intakes were self-reported by 3-day record and food frequency questionnaire. Triceps skinfoldthickness of the subject students significantly reduced after the exercise to 46% less than before (p < 0.002). The serum concentrations of leptin, insulin and catecholamine appeared to decrease steadily, but not significantly. Total protein in serum increased significantly (p < 0.05), and Na (p < 0.005), K (p < 0.001) and Fe (p < 0.058) concentrations increased remarkably within the normal range. The 8-week resistance exercise tended to induce fiber consumption (p < 0.089) of subject students and changed the P/M/S ratio changed into the desirable way from 0.8 : 1 : 1 to 1 : 1 : 1, and that of n- 6/n-3 PUFA from 11 : 1 to 6 : 1. After taking exercise, the intake frequency of cookies (p < 0.058) and raymeun (p < 0.085) decreased, but finally this feeding pattern returned to the way as before even though at marginal significance. Consequently the resistance exercise may induce the desirable changes of body fat and improve serum lipid profiles and feeding patterns in young obese females.