- Luis Amador Ríos Oliveros: Unidad de Medicina Familiar 9, Maestro en Ciencias Médicas, catedrático de la Universidad Autónoma de Guerrero. luirio@hotmail.com
OBJECTIVE: Our objective was to compare body fat distribution in subjects with type 2 diabetes by indexes of the waist-hip, waist-height, and body mass indices, as well as its association with cardiovascular disease.
MATERIALS AND METHODS: We conducted a comparative cross-sectional study with 1,144 persons > 30 years of age with type 2 diabetes at their assigned unit during the period of December 1996 through February 1997. We carried out measurement standardization and a pilot test. Studied variables included sex, age, sedentary lifestyle, smoking, time of diagnosis of diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and obesity.
RESULTS: Of the studied population, 81% were > 50 years of age, 63% were women; 47% were sedentary, 41% had smoking antecedent, 45% had high blood pressure, and an equal number of persons had a diagnosis of diabetes during the previous 10 years; 13% had some cardiovascular disease. Prevalence of obesity and the cardiovascular risk detected changed in each of the following indices: body mass 72% and 1.3; waist-hip 81% and 1.6, and waist-height, 93.7% and 3.0.
CONCLUSION: Body fat distribution measured by waist indices detected more prevalence of obesity and cardiovascular risk than body mass index, which does not consider the waist measurement.