A population-based study of the relationship between idiopathic hirsutism and metabolic disturbances

PURPOSE

To evaluate the association of idiopathic hirsutism, insulin resistance and metabolic disorders.

METHODS

Participants of this study included 137 women with idiopathic hirsutism and 698 women as controls selected from two large population-based cross-sectional studies including 1,772 reproductive-aged women. Anthropometric and biochemical characteristics of the participants were measured and compared; for instance, insulin resistance was estimated through the homeostatic model assessment and the metabolic syndrome was detected using the Joint Interim Statement.

RESULTS

Mean age, body mass index and other anthropometric measures including waist and hip circumferences were statistically higher in women with idiopathic hirsutism. No differences were observed in blood pressure, glucose and lipid profiles, homeostatic model assessment or the prevalence of insulin resistance, obesity and metabolic syndrome in women with idiopathic hirsutism and controls after adjustment of age and body mass index. In the subgroup of women with metabolic syndrome, fasting glucose levels of those with idiopathic hirsutism were significantly higher than controls, after adjustment of age and body mass index as 114 ± 25.85 vs. 103.52 ± 41.90 mg/dL, P = 0.003. Furthermore, the age and body mass index-adjusted prevalence of impaired fasting glucose in women with idiopathic hirsutism were higher than controls as 16.8 vs. 4.6%, OR = 2.26, 95% CI 1.59-5.38. A threshold of 74.5 cm for waist circumference had the optimal combined sensitivity and specificity for prediction of insulin resistance in women with idiopathic hirsutism, though this value was 90.5 cm for controls.

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggest that although the overall metabolic characteristics were similar in women with idiopathic hirsutism and controls, glycemic disturbances were more often seen in those suffered from metabolic syndrome and idiopathic hirsutism simultaneously.

Relationship of hyperinsulinaemia, insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction with incident diabetes and pre-diabetes: the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study

AIMS

To examine the association of fasting insulin, insulin resistance and reduced β-cell function with incident Type 2 diabetes and pre-diabetes (isolated impaired fasting glucose/isolated impaired glucose tolerance and combined impaired fasting glucose/impaired glucose tolerance).

METHODS

An Iranian population comprising 1532 men and 2221 women, aged ≥ 20 years, with normal fasting glucose and normal glucose tolerance at baseline, were enrolled in the study. Multivariable Cox proportional hazard models were used to calculate the hazard ratios and 95% CIs of fasting insulin, updated homeostasis model assessments of insulin resistance and β-cell function for incident Type 2 diabetes, isolated impaired fasting glucose, isolated impaired glucose tolerance and combined impaired fasting glucose/impaired glucose tolerance.

RESULTS

During a median follow-up of 9.2 years, the annual incidence rates (95% CI) of diabetes were 3.73 (2.74-4.94) and 4.06 (3.21-5.06) per 1000 person-years in men and women, respectively. In both men and women, fasting insulin and homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (≥ 75th percentile) were significantly associated with incident diabetes and combined impaired fasting glucose/impaired glucose tolerance; however, reduced β-cell function as measured by homeostasis model assessment of β-cell function (< 25th percentile) was associated with incident isolated impaired fasting glucose solely in men [hazard ratio 1.35 (95% CI 1.02-1.78)] in multivariable analysis including waist-hip ratio). Hyperinsulinaemia, insulin resistance and β-cell dysfunction were not related to the incidence of isolated impaired glucose tolerance in either gender.

CONCLUSIONS

Fasting hyperinsulinaemia and insulin resistance were strong risk factors for progression to diabetes and combined impaired fasting glucose/impaired glucose tolerance in a population with normal fasting glucose/normal glucose tolerance. In addition, impaired β-cell function at baseline was related to the development of isolated impaired fasting glucose only in men and, in both men and women, neither insulin resistance nor β-cell dysfunction were associated with incident isolated impaired glucose tolerance.

Prevalence of hypothyroidism in patients with dyslipidemia: Tehran Thyroid Study (TTS)

Hypothyroidism is a relatively common endocrine disorder usually accompanied with changes in serum lipid profiles. The purpose of this study was to assess the association between dyslipidemia and hypothyroidism in a population-based study. In this cross-sectional study, 2,315 dyslipidemic patients, aged 20-90 years (mean age: 38.1 ± 13.2 years), were selected from among 5,760 participants of Tehran Thyroid Study and divided into 3 groups, the subclinical hypothyroid, overt hypothyroid, and euthyroid subjects, based on national reference ranges. Serum lipid profiles, free thyroxine (FT4), thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH), and thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) were measured in all subjects. In subjects with dyslipidemia and nondyslipidemia, the prevalence of subclinical was 7% and 4.1%, respectively, and for clinical hypothyroidism 3% and 1.2%, respectively. In dyslipidemic subjects, the mean low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels differed significantly (p = 0.03) among the overt hypothyroid (144.3 ± 36.1), subclinical hypothyroid (129.3 ± 39.2), and euthyroid (132.7 ± 39.0) groups. In the overt hypothyroid group, mean total cholesterol level was higher than in the normal group, but not significant. There were no differences in median triglycerides (TG) and mean high density lipoprotein-cholesterol (HDL-C) levels among the 3 groups mentioned. After adjusting for age and sex, hypothyroidism was not related to elevated serum lipid profiles in patient with dyslipidemia. In conclusion, there is significant difference in the prevalence of subclinical and clinical hypothyroidism between nondyslipidemic and dyslipidemic subjects; after adjustment for age and sex the presence of dyslipidemia did not predict the presence of hypothyroidism.

Changes in body mass index, waist and hip circumferences, waist to hip ratio and risk of all-cause mortality in men

BACKGROUND

There is a paucity of data about the impact of changes in anthropometric measurements on the risk of mortality events, especially in men.

METHODS

The study sample consists of 1805 Iranian men, aged ⩾ 30 years, free from cardiovascular disease at baseline; they had undergone health examinations in both phases I (1999-2001) and II (2001-2003) and were followed up until March 2010. Participants were categorized by changes in anthropometric measurements into four groups: Group 1, change percentage<-5%; Group 2, -5% ⩽ change percentages<+5%; Group 3, 5% ⩽ change percentage<10%; and Group 4, change percentage ⩾ 10%. Cox proportional hazard regression was performed to assess the hazard ratios (HRs) of the anthropometric changes for all-cause mortality, given group 2 as the reference.

RESULTS

During 6.6 years of follow-up, 88 cases of mortality events occurred. The confounder-adjusted multivariate HRs for the first, third and fourth groups of hip circumference (HC) changes were 3.13(1.28-7.64), 0.75(0.43-1.31) and 0.82(0.23-2.99); the corresponding values for waist to hip ratio (WHR) change were 1.80(0.75-4.33), 1.21(0.70-2.1) and 2.32(1.25-4.3). After further adjustment for mediator covariates, results did not change. The equivalent values for body mass index and waist circumference did not reach statistical significance.

CONCLUSIONS

In Middle Eastern Caucasian men, increase in WHR was associated with incident mortality, which was more prominent in those with ⩾ 10% increase in the ratio. Moreover, decrease in HC was highly associated with excess risk of mortality.

Diagnostic values of different definitions of metabolic syndrome to detect poor health status in Iranian adults without diabetes

AIMS

This study aimed to compare the diagnostic impact of four definitions of the metabolic syndrome for detection of poor health status in adults without diabetes living in Tehran.

METHODS

A representative sample of 950 individuals (64% women), aged ≥ 20 years, participants of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study in 2005-2007, were recruited for the study. Health status was assessed using the Iranian version of the 36-item Short Form Health Survey. We assessed the detectability of poor health status by definitions of the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III, the International Diabetes Federation, the American Heart Association/National Heart, Lung, and the Blood Institute and the Joint Interim Statement.

RESULTS

Compared with other definitions, the Joint Interim Statement identified more participants (46.9%) having the metabolic syndrome. Using the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III, the International Diabetes Federation and the Joint Interim Statement, the metabolic syndrome was significantly related to poor physical health status, even after adjustment for confounding variables, in women, but not in men. None of the four definitions of the metabolic syndrome was related to the mental health status in either gender. The receiver operating characteristic curves showed no significant difference in the discriminative power of the metabolic syndrome definitions in detecting poor health status in either gender. However, women showed a higher area under the curve for all definitions, in comparison with men.

CONCLUSION

There was no difference in the four different definitions of the metabolic syndrome in detecting poor health status among Iranian adults.

Predicting menopausal age with anti-Müllerian hormone: a cross-validation study of two existing models

OBJECTIVE

This study aimed to cross-validate two comparable Weibull models of prediction of age at natural menopause from two cohorts, the Scheffer, van Rooij, de Vet (SRV) cohort and the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS) cohort. It summarizes advantages and disadvantages of the models and underlines the need for achieving correct time dependency in dynamic variables like anti-Müllerian hormone.

METHODS

Models were fitted in the original datasets and then applied to the cross-validation datasets. The discriminatory capacity of each model was assessed by calculating C-statistics for the models in their own data and in the cross-validation data. Calibration of the models on the cross-validation data was assessed by measuring the slope, intercept and Weibull shape parameter.

RESULTS

The C-statistic for the SRV model on the SRV data was 0.7 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.7-0.8) and on the TLGS data it was 0.8 (95% CI 0.8-0.9). For the TLGS model on the TLGS data, it was 0.9 (95% CI 0.8-0.9) and on the SRV data it was 0.7 (95% CI 0.6-0.8). After calibration of the SRV model on the TLGS data, the slope was 1, the intercept -0.3 and the shape parameter 1.1. The TLGS model on the SRV data had a slope of 0.3, an intercept of 12.7 and a shape parameter of 0.6.

CONCLUSIONS

Both models discriminate well between women that enter menopause early or late during follow-up. While the SRV model showed good agreement between the predicted risk of entering menopause and the observed proportion of women who entered menopause during follow-up (calibration) in the cross-validation dataset, the TLGS model showed poor calibration.

Underestimation of thyroid dysfunction risk due to regression dilution bias in a long-term follow-up: Tehran Thyroid Study (TTS)

Thyroid dysfunction is linked with mortality and particular diseases. Intra-individual variability of measured thyroid function parameters may bias its association with outcomes, the so called "regression dilution" bias. Single measurements of thyroid function parameters result in underestimation of real associations between outcome rates with the "usual life-long levels" of the aforesaid parameters. The aim of this study was to examine the intra-individual variability of FT4 and TSH of study cohorts in the Tehran Thyroid Study (TTS) and to investigate the extent of the risk underestimation during the 4 phases (Ph) of TTS, with median follow-up of 4, 7, and 10 years between the Ph2-Ph1, Ph3-Ph1, and Ph4-Ph1 intervals; respectively. We estimated regression dilution ratios (RDRs) by the Rosner method of linear regression of repeated measures for FT4 and TSH. RDR1, RDR2, and RDR3 were obtained by regressing the repeated measures of the aforesaid parameters of the last 3 TTS follow-ups on the baseline measurements. Calculations showed 0.64 RDR1, 0.58 RDR2, and 0.52 RDR3 for TSH; and 0.62 RDR1, 0.57 RDR2, and 0.55 RDR3 for FT4. A single measurement-based risk estimation in the TTS was underestimated for FT4 about 61.2, 76.5, and 80.4%; and for TSH as 55.8, 73.1 and 93% after 4, 7, and 10 years of follow-up; respectively. In conclusion, using only single measurements of TSH and FT4 the association between thyroid function and outcome rates is considerably underestimated, especially after a long follow-up period.

Local versus international recommended TSH references in the assessment of thyroid function during pregnancy

The aim of this study was to compare the prevalence of subclinical and overt hypothyroidism based on local population-specific reference intervals versus arbitrary cutoffs that are not specific for the population studied or the assay used, during pregnancy in an area of iodine sufficiency. We tested a total of 203 pregnant women in the first trimester of pregnancy, and followed their status in the second and third trimesters. Serum samples from women were assayed for levels of total T4 and T3, FT4I, TSH, TPOAb, and TgAb. Of the 203 women based on our national trimester specific reference ranges of serum TSH and FT4I, 153, 157, and 157 were euthyroid in 3 consecutive trimesters of pregnancy. Accordingly, a total of 23, 12, and 13 had subclinical hypothyroidism in the first, second, and third trimester, respectively. Overt hypothyroidism was detected in 4, 5, and 1 women in the first, second, and third trimesters of pregnancy, respectively. The prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism was 49, 31, and 34 in each of the trimesters respectively, when TSH>2.5 mIU/l was considered for definition of hypothyroidism in the first trimester, and over 3 mIU/l in the second and third trimesters. Our results showed that using arbitrary cutoff values for TSH instead of population-specific reference intervals may inappropriately increase the rate of subclinical hypothyroidism.

Geochemistry and mineralogy of arsenic in mine wastes and stream sediments in a historic metal mining area in the UK

Mining generates large amounts of waste which may contain potentially toxic elements (PTE), which, if released into the wider environment, can cause air, water and soil pollution long after mining operations have ceased. The fate and toxicological impact of PTEs are determined by their partitioning and speciation and in this study, the concentrations and mineralogy of arsenic in mine wastes and stream sediments in a former metal mining area of the UK are investigated. Pseudo-total (aqua-regia extractable) arsenic concentrations in all samples from the mining area exceeded background and guideline values by 1-5 orders of magnitude, with a maximum concentration in mine wastes of 1.8×10(5)mgkg(-1) As and concentrations in stream sediments of up to 2.5×10(4)mgkg(-1) As, raising concerns over potential environmental impacts. Mineralogical analysis of the wastes and sediments was undertaken by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and automated SEM-EDS based quantitative evaluation (QEMSCAN®). The main arsenic mineral in the mine waste was scorodite and this was significantly correlated with pseudo-total As concentrations and significantly inversely correlated with potentially mobile arsenic, as estimated from the sum of exchangeable, reducible and oxidisable arsenic fractions obtained from a sequential extraction procedure; these findings correspond with the low solubility of scorodite in acidic mine wastes. The work presented shows that the study area remains grossly polluted by historical mining and processing and illustrates the value of combining mineralogical data with acid and sequential extractions to increase our understanding of potential environmental threats.

Reference limit of thyrotropin (TSH) and free thyroxine (FT4) in thyroperoxidase positive and negative subjects: a population based study

BACKGROUND

Current reference values for thyroid function tests are based on data from different ethnicities and geographical areas. The aim of the present study was to determine reference intervals for thyrotropin (TSH) and free T4 (FT4), based on the criteria of the National Academy of Clinical Biochemistry (NACB) in an Iranian population.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

This study was conducted within the framework of Tehran Thyroid Study (TTS), an ongoing prospective cohort of 5704 randomly selected individuals, age ≥ 20 yr. A total of 2199 individuals (43.3% male, 56.7% female), based on NACB criteria were included in this study. Reference limit analysis was performed for the negative thyroid peroxidase antibody (TPOAb) group.

RESULTS

After applying all exclusion criteria except TPOAb positivity (10.5%), data of 2459 participants remained for analysis. Of these, 953 (43.3%) were males and 1246 (56.7%) were females; the mean ± SD age was 43.53 ± 14.16 yr. The mean ± SD and median+IQR for TSH were 1.77 mU/l ± 1.24 and 1.46 (0.93-2.23) mU/l, respectively. The 2.5th and 97.5th percentiles TSH were 0.32 mU/l and 5.06 mU/l respectively. The mean ± SD and median (IQR) for FT4 for all negative TPOAb subjects were 1.19 ± 0.16 and 1.18 (1.08-1.31) ng/dl respectively.

CONCLUSION

Reference ranges for thyroid function tests need to be derived from national databases. This study determined age and sex specific TSH and FT4 reference ranges in a Tehranian population, which could eventually enable clinicians to classify patients more appropriately.

Does metabolic syndrome or its components differ in naturally and surgically menopausal women?

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to compare metabolic syndrome and its components in naturally and surgically menopausal women.

METHODS

This is a longitudinal study, with incident case and control groups, conducted on 446 women participants of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study, who experienced surgical or natural menopause over a 10-year period. In both groups, data collection was conducted using questionnaires including information on demographic, reproductive and metabolic characteristics at baseline and again after 3 years. Physical examinations and the biochemical profiles were also assessed.

RESULTS

During the follow-up, metabolic syndrome was observed in 28.7% and 32.5% of the naturally menopause and surgically menopausal women, respectively. Mean fasting blood sugar and 2-h plasma glucose were significantly higher in the surgically menopause group, compared to the naturally menopause one, whereas mean systolic blood pressure was significantly higher in naturally menopausal women as compared to surgically menopause ones, after further adjustment for premenopausal status.

CONCLUSIONS

Although no difference in the prevalence of metabolic syndrome in naturally menopausal women and in surgically menopausal women was found, the components of metabolic syndrome were more prevalent among those with surgical menopause.

Effect of menopause on cardiovascular disease and its risk factors: a 9-year follow-up study

OBJECTIVES

To explore the cardiovascular risk attributable to menopausal status in a 9-year follow-up, population-based study.

METHOD

All middle-aged women who met our eligibility criteria were selected from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study cohort. Data were collected by face-to-face interviews, physical examination and biochemical assessments at 3-year intervals. The World Health Organization classification was used to define menopausal status. Cardiovascular events that occurred in the cohort were investigated by a panel of medical specialists.

RESULTS

Based on menopausal status, there were no significant differences in cardiovascular disease after adjustment for age, body mass index and other confounders; however, significant relationships between serum concentrations of low density cholesterol and total cholesterol and menopausal status were observed.

CONCLUSIONS

Menopause, independent of other cardiovascular disease risk factors, incurred cardiometabolic risk.

Predictors of the incident metabolic syndrome in healthy obese subjects: a decade of follow-up from the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE

There is limited data from long-term prospective studies on the natural course of metabolic syndrome (MetS) incidence in healthy obese phenotypes. The aim of this study was to determine the incidence and predictors of the MetS in healthy obese subjects without the MetS at baseline after a decade of follow-up.

SUBJECTS/METHODS

In this prospective cohort study, 438 obese subjects free from MetS at baseline, aged ≥20 years, were selected from among the participants of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study and followed up for 10 years for development of MetS. Based on national data, central obesity was defined as waist circumference cutoff point of 89 cm for men and 91 cm for women.

RESULTS

Initially, subjects had a mean age of 41.1 ± 11.8 years and a body mass index of 32.7 ± 2.7 kg/m(2). At the end of follow-up, the cumulative incidence (95% confidence interval) of MetS was 44.0 (36.8-51.1)%. In the multivariable analysis, the adjusted odds ratios of hypertension, hypertriglyceridemia, low high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) and insulin resistance for the development of MetS were 3.08 (1.39-6.79), 2.84 (1.26-6.42), 6.49 (3.18-13.25) and 2.87 (1.55-5.32), respectively. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve of all the components was significantly higher than various combinations of MetS components, except for the two models including combinations of three components, that is, triglycerides (TGs), HDL-C and fasting blood sugar, as well as, TGs, HDL-C and systolic blood pressure.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings demonstrate that MetS developed in nearly half of the individuals during the 10 years of follow-up. Predictors of MetS in healthy obese subjects may differ from the general population, and waist circumference does not have an independent role.

Non-linear association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D and the incidence of type 2 diabetes: a community-based nested case-control study

AIMS

To examine the nature of the association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes.

METHODS

Serum 25(OH)D concentrations were measured for 761 participants (aged 20-83 years) in the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study, selected for a 1-to-3 nested case-control study. Cases were 191 cases of Type 2 diabetes diagnosed during a median follow-up of 3.6 years. A total of 570 participants were matched with these cases with regard to age, sex, BMI, and month of entering the study. Diabetes was defined according to the American Diabetes Association criteria, 2003. Serum 25(OH)D was measured using the enzyme immunoassay method. Odds ratios for Type 2 diabetes were obtained from conditional logistic regression models for tertiles of serum 25(OH)D concentrations [tertile-1: 2.82-11.02 (reference), tertile-2: 11.03-21.80, and tertile-3: ≥ 21.82 ng/ml]. The multivariate model was adjusted for age, sex, family history of diabetes, systolic blood pressure, triglyceride-to- HDL cholesterol ratio, waist-to-height ratio, lifestyle modification intervention, leisure time physical activity, and fasting plasma glucose at baseline. Non-linearity in the associations between baseline 25(OH)D and Type 2 diabetes, was examined by using restricted cubic splines.

RESULTS

Unadjusted odds ratios (95% confidence intervals) of diabetes were 0.73 (0.74-1.13), 0.54 (0.34-0.85) for the second and third tertiles, respectively. Multivariate adjusted odds ratios were 0.47 (0.25-0.90) and 0.43 (0.23-0.82), respectively. Below the cutoff of ~ 10 ng/ml the risk of newly diagnosed Type 2 diabetes increased dramatically.

DISCUSSION

It was found that 25(OH)D concentrations contributed to the Type 2 diabetes incidence rate in a non-linear fashion, with the risk beginning to increase sharply for values < 10 ng/ml.

Trends in cardiovascular disease risk factors in children and adolescents: Tehran lipid and glucose study

Studies have shown that cardiovascular risk factors, such as obesity, blood lipid levels, start early in childhood and some are on the rise in children. Data on trends are important in order to identify if there is a problem. This study, part of the Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study, determined and compared the prevalence of overweight and its associated risk factors in 2555, 1 329 and 1158 Tehran children and adolescents in 2000, 2003 and 2006 respectively. The participants were categorized into age groups 3-6, 7-12 and 13-17 years. Body mass index measurements were taken and blood pressure, fasting blood glucose, cholesterol and triglycerides measured. Overall the prevalence of obesity in Tehran children and adolescents increased significantly from 2000 to 2006 while blood pressure and serum lipid concentrations decreased. The causes for the decreased blood pressure and serum lipid concentrations should be evaluated. The increased prevalence of obesity in Tehran children and adolescents is of concern and requires monitoring.

The association of anthropometric indices in adolescence with the occurrence of the metabolic syndrome in early adulthood: Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study (TLGS)

WHAT IS ALREADY KNOWN ABOUT THIS SUBJECT

Little is known about the predictive ability of anthropometric indices in adolescence for prediction of early adulthood metabolic syndrome (MetS). There are controversies about the predictive power of body mass index (BMI) vs. waist circumference (WC) for prediction of MetS in late adolescence; some of the studies did not support the need to measure WC in mid-adolescence, in addition to BMI; on the other hand, some other studies proposed either similar predictability or superiority of WC to identify MetS in late adolescence.

WHAT THIS STUDY ADDS

This is the first study to evaluate the adolescent anthropometric indices in relation to early adulthood MetS incidence one decade later in the Middle East region. There is an important sex difference regarding the incidence of MetS in Tehranian adolescents. It is interesting to know that all anthropometric indices in the pubertal age group (11-14 years) had better predictive ability compared to late-pubertal (15-18 years) adolescents. In addition, adolescent abdominal obesity surrogates, including WC and waist-to-height ratio, predicted adulthood MetS better than BMI in boys. It seems that WC had an independent role beyond BMI in identification of adulthood MetS in Tehranian boys (11-18 years old).

BACKGROUND

Little is known about the predictive ability of anthropometric indices in adolescence for prediction of early adulthood metabolic syndrome (MetS).

OBJECTIVE

Our purpose was to explore incidence of MetS and the optimal anthropometric indicator to predict early adulthood MetS in Tehranian adolescents.

METHODS

Using data from the population-based, prospective, Tehran Lipid and Glucose Study, the utility of four anthropometric indices of adolescents in predicting early adulthood MetS (2009 Joint Scientific Statement definition) was examined among 1100 participants, aged 11-18 years, who were free of MetS at baseline, during a mean of 10.2 years of follow-up.

RESULTS

The cumulative incidence of MetS was 25.5% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 21.8-29.2%) for young men and 1.8% (95% CI: 0.6-3%) for young women. In boys, waist circumference (WC) had the highest odds ratio (OR) for the MetS risk, followed by waist-to-height ratio (WHtR). Adjusting body mass index (BMI) in addition to WC did not change the results in the 11-14-year age group (OR for WC: 2.28 [1.64-3.16] without BMI adjustment vs. 1.98 [1.05-3.73] with BMI adjustment), suggesting that WC may predict MetS risk beyond BMI. None of the anthropometric indices were found to have significant associations with subsequent MetS risk in girls.

CONCLUSIONS

Measures of abdominal obesity including WHtR and WC predicted early adulthood MetS better than BMI in Tehranian male adolescents (11-18 years old).