Cut-Off Point of Waist Circumference Used for the Diagnosis of Metabolic Syndrome Among Adult Population in Ahvaz, Southwestern Iran

Background: Metabolic syndrome (MetS) is a well-known risk factor for type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Waist circumference (WC) is an essential component for the diagnosis of the MetS. Objectives: The aim of this study was to compare the cut-off points of WC proposed by the international diabetes federation (IDF), adult treatment panel (ATP III), and iranian national committee of obesity (INCO) with that of the present study for predicting the MetS. Patients and Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 930 individuals (439 males and 491 females) aged more than 20 years living in Ahvaz City, capital of Khuzestan Province in southwestern Iran during 2009 - 2010. Waist circumference cut-off values were obtained using a receiver operator characteristic curve. Optimal cut-off values were calculated by plotting the true-positive rate against the false-positive rate. Also, sensitivity, specificity, and Youden’s Index were calculated. Results: The cut-off points of WC, according to a maximum sum of sensitivity plus specificity for detecting at least two components of MetS were found to be 91.5 cm and 85.5 cm in men and women, respectively. Using these values, sensitivity and specificity were 61% in men and 65% in women. The sensitivity of the male population and the specificity of the female population were found to be higher than the values proposed by IDF and ATP III. Conclusions: Optimal WC values for defining MetS were 91.5 cm and 85.5 cm in men and women, respectively. The cut-off values recommended by world organizations are not appropriate for an adult population living in Ahvaz City.