Korean J Fam Pract. 2017; 7(2): 202-206  https://doi.org/10.21215/kjfp.2017.7.2.202
Difference of Prevalence and Cardiovascular Risk between Waist Circumference and Waist-Height Ratio in Diagnostic Criteria of Metabolic Syndrome
Seung-kyu Kwon, Eun-jung Kim*, In-sung Kim, Dong-hyuk Park, Der-lih Wang
Department of Family Medicine, Busan Veterans Hospital, Busan, Korea
Eun-jung Kim
Tel: +82-51-601-6067, Fax: +82-51-601-6337
E-mail: ke415@hanmail.net
Received: February 17, 2016; Accepted: August 19, 2016; Published online: April 20, 2017.
© The Korean Academy of Family Medicine. All rights reserved.

This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc/4.0) which permits unrestricted noncommercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.
Abstract
Background: Waist circumference is widely used as one of the diagnostic criteria for metabolic syndrome. However, this criterion can underdiagnose metabolic syndrome by not considering the height of an individual. This study aimed to compare the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and the cardiovascular risk score using the diagnostic criteria of waist circumference and waist-height ratio.
Methods: This study included 4,744 individuals aged 20-80 years who participated in the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in 2013. National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP-ATP) III criteria were used. Waist circumference and waist-height ratio were used to compare the prevalence of metabolic syndrome and the Framingham risk score (FRS).
Results: The prevalence of metabolic syndrome was 27.3% using waist circumference as a diagnostic criterion and 33.4% using waist-height ratio in place of waist circumference. The FRS was 12.16% using waist circumference and 11.87% using the waist-height ratio.
Conclusion: Waist-height ratio should be considered in the diagnosis of metabolic syndrome.
Keywords: Metabolic Syndrome; Waist Circumference; Waist-Height Ratio; Framingham Risk Score; Prevalence
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