ASSESSING BODY SHAPE INDEX AMONG METABOLICALLY HEALTHY OBESE WOMEN

Background and Aim: A body shape index (ABSI) was proposed as more reliable than body mass index in determination of body composition. A high ABSI indicates that waist circumference is higher than expected for a given height and weight, and corresponds to a more central concentration of body mass. In this study, we have assessed the ABSI among metabolically healthy obese women.Methods: In cross-sectional study, standard anthropometric parameters (weight, height and waist circumference) were assessed in 135 female referring to the nutrition clinic. All participants were metabolically healthy individuals not engaged in planned physical activity and not taking any medication on a regular basis. ABSI was calculated according to the following formula:ABSI=WC(m)/ [BMI 2/3 ×height (m) 1/2].Results: The mean of age, weight, BMI, WC and ABSI were 29.70±8.27(years), 33.71±4.22 (kg/m2), 103.18±11.21 (cm), and 0.08±0.005 (m11/6 kg−2/3), respectively. According to BMI standards, 11.2% of participants were overweight, and 88.8% were obese. Only 2.2% of our subjects were characterized by lower than recommended waist circumference. ABSI was significantly associated with WC (r = 0.653, p = 0.000).Conclusion: Based on the results, the central obesity was prevalence among metabolically healthy obese women. ABSI was associated with WC. Our study highlights the importance of the joint use of ABSI and WC to health risk assessments.

Keywords:

A body shape index , waist circumference , body mass index , metabolically healthy obese women