An Average Body Circumference Can Be a Substitute for Body Mass Index in Women
Table 1
Anthropometric parameters of the study population.
Participants
All ()
Normal ()
Overweight ()
Obese ()
Parameter
Age
48.9 (46.8–51.0)
44.5 (41.2–48.1)
52.9 (49.8–56.1)
49.1 (45.0–53.7)
Weight (kg)
71.1 (69.2–73.1)
58.3 (56.9–59.7)
69.5 (67.9–71.0)
88.1 (85.3–91.1)
Height (cm)
160.0 (159.2–160.8)
161.4 (160.1–162.6)
159.1 (157.8–160.4)
159.7 (157.9–161.5)
BMI
27.8 (27.0–28.6)
22.4 (21.9–22.9)
27.5 (27.1–27.8)
34.6 (33.7–35.5)
Circumference of (cm)
Neck
33.8 (33.5–34.1)
31.9 (31.5–32.2)
33.6 (33.3–34.0)
35.9 (35.4–36.5)
Waist
91.1 (89.3–92.9)
79.8 (78.0–81.7)
89.6 (87.9–91.4)
105.0 (102.4–107.6)
Hip
107.1 (105.6–108.6)
97.8 (96.7–98.9)
105.0 (103.8–106.3)
119.2 (116.8–121.6)
Arm
26.5 (26.1–27.0)
23.8 (23.5–24.2)
26.5 (26.1–26.9)
29.4 (28.7–30.2)
Forearm
24.90 (24.6–25.2)
23.1 (22.8–23.5)
24.8 (24.5–25.1)
26.8 (26.3–27.5)
Wrist
16.0 (15.8–16.2)
15.1 (14.9–15.4)
15.9 (15.7–16.2)
16.9 (16.5–17.2)
Thigh
45.3 (44.6–46.1)
41.5 (40.6–42.4)
44.4 (43.6–45.3)
50.4 (49.2–51.7)
Ankle
23.2 (22.9–23.5)
21.8 (21.4–22.2)
23.1 (22.7–23.5)
24.8 (24.3–25.4)
Waist/hip ratio
0.85 (0.84–0.86)
0.82 (0.80–0.83)
0.85 (0.84–0.87)
0.88 (0.86–0.90)
Mean circumference of (cm)
ABCa
46.1 (45.5–46.7)
41.9 (41.5–42.4)
45.4 (45.0–45.9)
51.2 (50.4–52.0)
UBCb
38.5 (38.0–39.1)
34.8 (34.3–35.3)
38.1 (37.7–38.6)
42.9 (42.1–43.6)
LBCc
58.6 (57.8–59.4)
53.8 (53.2–54.4)
57.6 (56.9–58.2)
64.9 (63.7–66.1)
(N + W + H + A + Th)/5
60.9 (60.0–61.7)
55.0 (54.4–55.7)
59.9 (59.3–60.5)
68.1 (67.0–69.2)
(Waist + hip + arm + thigh)/4
68.3 (67.1–69.6)
60.8 (60.1–61.6)
66.5 (65.8–67.2)
76.1 (74.8–77.5)
(Neck + waist + hip)/3
77.4 (76.3–78.6)
69.9 (69.0–70.8)
76.2 (75.4–77.0)
86.8 (85.3–88.3)
(Waist + hip)/2
99.2 (97.6–100.8)
88.9 (87.6–90.2)
97.4 (96.3–98.6)
112.2 (110.2–114.3)
Normal = women with BMI ≤24.9. Overweight = women with BMI 25–29.9. Obese = women with BMI ≥30.
aABC, average body circumference, average of (neck + waist + hip + arm + forearm + wrist + thigh + ankle).
bUBC, upper body circumference, average of (neck + waist + arm + forearm + wrist).
cLBC, lower body circumference, average of (hip + thigh + ankle). N = neck, W = waist, H = hip, A = arm, F = forearm, Wr = wrist, Th = thigh, and Ank = ankle. Geometric means (95% CI) are presented.
