Optimal body fat percentage cut-offs for obesity in Chinese adults

• Published in: Clinical and experimental pharmacology & physiology 2012-04, Vol.39 (4), p.393-398
• Main Authors: Li, Ling, Wang, Chen, Bao, Yuqian, Peng, Liangpu, Gu, Huilin, Jia, Weiping
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Adipose Tissue - metabolism; Adult; Adults; Aged; Analysis; Asian Continental Ancestry Group - ethnology; Baseball; Body composition; Body Composition - physiology; body fat percentage; Diabetes; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - ethnology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - etiology; Diabetes Mellitus, Type 2 - metabolism; Female; Follow-Up Studies; Humans; Longitudinal Studies; Male; Men; metabolic syndrome; Metabolic Syndrome - ethnology; Metabolic Syndrome - etiology; Metabolic Syndrome - metabolism; Middle Aged; Obesity; Obesity - complications; Obesity - ethnology; Obesity - metabolism; Predictive Value of Tests; Professional sports; type 2 diabetes; Women
• ISSN: 0305-1870; 1440-1681
• DOI: 10.1111/j.1440-1681.2012.05684.x

Summary Obesity results in an increased risk of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and Type 2 diabetes (T2DM). Body fat percentage (BF%) is a common index of body composition. The aim of the present study was to determine the optimal BF% cut‐offs for obesity to predict MetS and T2DM in Chinese adults. The baseline study group comprised 3916 Chinese adults (age 30–70 years of age); 2033 subjects without MetS or T2DM were followed up for a maximum of 5.5 years. The BF% was estimated using bioelectrical impedance analysis. Optimal BF% cut‐offs were analysed by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Binary logistic regression analysis was performed to measure the association between obesity at baseline defined by BF% and newly developed MetS and T2DM. Mean BF% levels were lower in men than in women (23.9 ± 6.1% vs 33.5 ± 7.1%, respectively; P