The Significance of Anthropometric Indicators in the Prediction of Abdominal Obesity in Obese Patients

Objectives: Obesity is a chronic progressive disease representing a significant health hazard and serious economic problem. As an independent risk factor it contributes to increased cardiovascular and oncologic morbidity and mortality. The IDEA study conducted in the Slovak Republic in 2017 reports that every other inhabitant in Slovakia suffers from an abdominal type of obesity. Therefore, anthropometric indica tors are recommended in the process of screening for early identification of the abdominal type of obesity. Aim: The aim of the study is to determine the evaluation significance level of chosen anthropometric indicators for early abdominal obesity prediction. Methods: Empiric data were ascertained by standardized anthropometric methods. We evaluated waistline, WHR, VFA, weight, height and BMI in relation to sex. The In Body 230 device was used to measure the body impedance, and the questionnaire to ascertain somatic indicators. Our research was conducted with 201 male and 301 female respondents aged between 20 and 65. The choice of respondents was purposive and we followed all essential ethical principles for research data collection. Respondents had provided their written consent to research data collection and were provided with instructions regarding anthropometric measurements and informed about its results. The data collection took place in Zvolen and Banska Bystrica in 2018 as a part of the project "Get rid of your excess weight". Empiric data were processed with the SPPS 22.0 statistical program. We used descriptive statistics, calculated Pearson's correlation coefficient r with the corresponding determination coefficient r2. We applied Fisher's transformation r-z to draw a comparison between correlation coefficients. Results: Abdominal obesity was determined in 77.1% of male and 88% of female respondents using waistline measurements. We could identify 55.2% abdominally obese male and 98% abdominally obese female respondents using WHR index measurements. Visceral fat over the standard level was determined in 93.5% male and 92% female respondents. The intersection of the waistline measurement values, WHR index and visceral fat over the standard level determined 54.7% abdominally obese male and 82.7% abdominally obese female respondents. According to WHO classification, BMI between overweight and 3rdgrade obesity could be determined in our respondents. Conclusion: For abdominal obesity identification, it is necessary to take index WHR and visc