Table 8.
Current recommended WC thresholds for abdominal obesity by organization
| Population | Organization (Ref.) | Recommended WC threshold for abdominal obesity (cm) |
|
|---|---|---|---|
| Men | Women | ||
| Europid | IDF (4) | ≥94 | ≥80 |
| Caucasian | WHO (7) | ≥94 (increased risk) | ≥80 (increased risk) |
| ≥102 (still higher risk) | ≥88 (still higher risk) | ||
| United States | AHA/NHLBI (ATP III) (5)a | ≥102 | ≥88 |
| Canada | Health Canada (8, 9) | ≥102 | ≥88 |
| European | European Cardiovascular Societies (10) | ≥102 | ≥88 |
| Asian (including Japanese) | IDF (4) | ≥90 | ≥80 |
| Asian | WHO (11) | ≥90 | ≥80 |
| Japanese | Japanese Obesity Society (12) | ≥85 | ≥90 |
| China | Cooperative Task Force (13) | ≥85 | ≥80 |
| Middle East, Mediterranean | IDF (4) | ≥94 | ≥80 |
| Sub-Saharan African | IDF (4) | ≥94 | ≥80 |
| Ethnic Central and South American | IDF (4) | ≥90 | ≥80 |
AHA/NHLBI, American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; IDF, International Diabetes Federation. [Reprinted from K. G. Alberti et al.: Harmonizing the metabolic syndrome: a joint interim statement of the International Diabetes Federation Task Force on Epidemiology and Prevention; National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute; American Heart Association; World Heart Federation; International Atherosclerosis Society; and International Association for the Study of Obesity. Circulation 120:1640–1645, 2009 (177), with permission. © American Heart Association, Inc.].
Recent AHA/NHLBI guidelines for metabolic syndrome recognize an increased risk for CVD and diabetes at WC thresholds of ≥94 cm in men and ≥80 cm in women and identify these as optional cut-points for individuals or populations with increased insulin resistance.