Waist circumference and cardiovascular risk

The epidemic of obesity poses a global concern because of its related health problems. The related risk appears to be directly linked to the increased deposition of fat in the body. While most adipose tissue is located under the skin, intra-abdominal fat is more closely associated with the risk of several chronic diseases. A simple measurement of such visceral fat is waist circumference, which is strongly correlated with the risk for diabetes mellitus and cardiovascular disease. The relative contribution of intra-abdominal fat to total body fat is influenced by sex, age, race/ethnicity, physical activity and total adiposity. Excess visceral adiposity/ectopic fat affects the incidence of the metabolic syndrome. Given the long-term health implications of this syndrome it was suggested to add the combination of elevated waist circumference and triglycerides to the list of variables considered in global risk algorithm, which thereby transforms it into a global cardiometabolic risk assessment algorithm. There is an urgent need to increase the awareness among both health professionals and the general public about the health hazards of central or abdominal obesity. Although maintaining a healthy weight should continue to be a cornerstone in the prevention of chronic diseases and premature death, maintaining a healthy waist size should also be an important goal.