Cut-off values of visceral fat area and waist circumference: diagnostic criteria for abdominal obesity in a Korean population

The aim of this study was to determine the appropriate cut-off values for visceral fat area and waist circumference (WC) associated with an increase in risk for obesity-related disorder, and to validate diagnostic criteria for abdominal obesity and the metabolic syndrome in a Korean adult population. We included 413 subjects (174 men and 239 women) for this study. Subjects were selected among Korean adults who visited the obesity clinic at St. Mary's Hospital and Kangnam St. Mary's Hospital from January 1999 to August 2005. All patients had computed tomography performed. The cut-off value, of visceral fat area associated with an increase risk of obesity-related disorder, according to the receiver operating characteristics curve, was 103.8 cm2 (sensitivity 74.5%, specificity 64.7%, p