[Predictive value of combined measurements of body mass index and waist circumference for the risk of cardiovascular disease].

Objective: To evaluate the predictive value of the combined measurements of body mass index (BMI) and waist circumference (WC) for the risk of cardiometabolic diseases (including diabetes, hypertension, and dyslipidemia) and ischemic cardiovascular disease.

Method: A total of 30,378 Chinese people from 11 provinces were studied in this prospective study conducted from 1992 to 2003. Multivariable logistic and Cox regression were used respectively to determine the predictive value of WC for cardiometabolic diseases and ischemic cardiovascular disease within each BMI categories.

Results: (1) The prevalence of obesity were 10% defined by BMI. Among them, 76.4% had abdominal obesity defined by WC. The prevalence of abdominal obesity was 17.5% by WC categories, and 43.4% of them were classified as obesity by BMI. (2) The prevalence rates of cardiometabolic diseases were higher in individuals with elevated WC within each BMI category. (3) Compared with subjects with normal BMI and WC, the risk of ischemic cardiovascular disease increased by 38% (RR = 1.383, 95% CI 1.083 - 1.765) in overweight subjects with elevated WC and by 57% (RR = 1.570, 95% CI 1.226 - 2.010) in obese subjects with elevated WC.

Conclusion: Combined measurements of BMI and WC provide a better prediction for the risk of cardiometabolic diseases and ischemic cardiovascular disease.