Anthropometric Indicators in Cardiometabolic Health Assessment
Summary
Anthropometric measurements provide accessible proxies for adiposity and its distribution, underpinning the assessment of cardiometabolic risk in both clinical and public health settings. Body mass index (BMI) remains the most widely used indicator of total adiposity, yet it does not distinguish between lean and fat mass or reflect fat distribution. To capture central obesity, which is more strongly linked to insulin resistance, dyslipidaemia, hypertension and cardiovascular outcomes, measures such as waist circumference and waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) have been adopted. Recent work has focused on refining threshold values for diverse populations, integrating digital anthropometry and bioelectrical impedance to estimate body composition more precisely, and combining indicators to enhance risk stratification. This integrated approach supports more personalised prevention and management strategies worldwide, acknowledging regional and life-stage differences in body composition and cardiometabolic susceptibility.
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Anthropometric Indicators in Cardiometabolic Health Assessment publication trend
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Technical terms
Body Mass Index (BMI): A ratio of weight to height squared (kg/m²) used as a proxy for overall adiposity.
Waist Circumference (WC): Measurement of abdominal girth at a standard anatomical point, indicating central fat accumulation.
Waist-to-Height Ratio (WHtR): The quotient of waist circumference divided by height, reflecting central obesity relative to body size.
Bioelectrical Impedance Analysis (BIA): A technique that passes a low-level electrical current through the body to estimate fat mass, lean mass and hydration.
Dual-Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA): An imaging modality that quantifies whole-body and regional fat and lean tissue distribution using two X-ray beams of differing energy.
References
- General and abdominal adiposity and hypertension in eight world regions: a pooled analysis of 837 population-based studies with 7·5 million participants. The Lancet (2024).
- Strengths and Limitations of BMI in the Diagnosis of Obesity: What is the Path Forward?. Current Obesity Reports (2024).
- Establishing international optimal cut-offs of waist-to-height ratio for predicting cardiometabolic risk in children and adolescents aged 6–18 years. BMC Medicine (2023).
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