Comparison of body mass index and waist circumference in predicting incident diabetes

ABSTRACT

The objective of the present investigation is to confirm that central obesity which is measured by waist circumference [WC] is more informative than general obesity determined by body mass index [BMI] in the prediction of diabetes mellitus [DM]. The study was conducted at Khyber Medical College, Peshawar during 2008 to 2009. A total of 475 adult male and female volunteers were the subject of present research and were categorized in terms of their BMI. The BMI was determined from weight and height; the subjects were grouped as normal, overweight and obese. WC was determined by measuring the waist between the lower rib and iliac crest. The results show a consistence relation between BMI and WC with diabetes mellitus. The Chi-square test for 95% confidence interval showed 2-sided asymptomatic significance of diabetes mellitus with WC to be 0.016 and BMI 0.082. The results showed a higher trend of diabetes mellitus in males having WC greater then 40 inches [100 cm] and for female WC greater than 35 inches [87.5 cm] as compare to higher BMI