Copyright: Clinics Cardive Publishing (Pty) Ltd. publisher
of Cardiovascular Journal of Africa.
Abstract
Aim:
To assess the diagnostic ability and cut-points of traditional and novel adiposity measures for cardiometabolic disease (CMD) risk, and to determine the associations between these adiposity measures and metabolic syndrome (MetS) among corporate employees.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, health risk assessments were completed on 625 employees (469 men and 156 women, mean age 50 ± 8 years). Adiposity measures included waist circumference (WC), waist-height ratio (WHtR), body roundness index (BRI), a body shape index (ABSI) and lipid accumulation product (LAP). Sex-stratified receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analyses assessed the diagnostic performance of adiposity measures for CMD risk. Logistic regression analyses determined the association between adiposity measures and MetS, which was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF).
Results: MetS was prevalent in 30% of the group, and higher in men than women (33.9% vs. 18%). The area under the curve (AUC) for the different CMD risk factors, for WC, WHtR, BRI and LAP, were similar to each other but higher than ABSI, for men and women. WC cut-points for both sexes (men: 96.5-99.5cm; women: 86.5–92.5cm) were higher than the internationally accepted IDF guidelines for CMD risk, namely 94cm and 80cm for men and women. WHtR (0.6), BRI (4.5) and ABSI (men: 0.08, women: 0.07) cut-points were similar for the group and LAP, higher in men (45.5–53.5) compared to women (22.8-41.5). In men, BRI (OR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.9-3.3) and in women, LAP (OR: 3.4; 95% CI: 1.4-8.4) were most strongly associated with MetS after accounting for confounders.
Conclusion: BRI and LAP may be considered as alternative and complementary adiposity measures for CMD screening in corporate executives with high MetS and obesity prevalence.
Methods: In this cross-sectional study, health risk assessments were completed on 625 employees (469 men and 156 women, mean age 50 ± 8 years). Adiposity measures included waist circumference (WC), waist-height ratio (WHtR), body roundness index (BRI), a body shape index (ABSI) and lipid accumulation product (LAP). Sex-stratified receiver operator characteristic (ROC) curve analyses assessed the diagnostic performance of adiposity measures for CMD risk. Logistic regression analyses determined the association between adiposity measures and MetS, which was defined according to the International Diabetes Federation (IDF).
Results: MetS was prevalent in 30% of the group, and higher in men than women (33.9% vs. 18%). The area under the curve (AUC) for the different CMD risk factors, for WC, WHtR, BRI and LAP, were similar to each other but higher than ABSI, for men and women. WC cut-points for both sexes (men: 96.5-99.5cm; women: 86.5–92.5cm) were higher than the internationally accepted IDF guidelines for CMD risk, namely 94cm and 80cm for men and women. WHtR (0.6), BRI (4.5) and ABSI (men: 0.08, women: 0.07) cut-points were similar for the group and LAP, higher in men (45.5–53.5) compared to women (22.8-41.5). In men, BRI (OR: 2.5; 95% CI: 1.9-3.3) and in women, LAP (OR: 3.4; 95% CI: 1.4-8.4) were most strongly associated with MetS after accounting for confounders.
Conclusion: BRI and LAP may be considered as alternative and complementary adiposity measures for CMD screening in corporate executives with high MetS and obesity prevalence.
Keywords:
cardiometabolic disease, metabolic syndrome, adiposity, employees, screening
Submitted: May 21, 2025;
Accepted: July 3, 2025;
Published: October 17, 2025
Cardiovasc J Afr 2025; 36: 505-514
Volume 36, Issue 4
Cardiovasc J Afr 2025; 36: 505-514
Volume 36, Issue 4
DOI Citation Reference: dx.doi.org/10.5830/CVJA-2025-073