Optimal cut-off points for waist circumference in the definition of metabolic syndrome in Brazilian adults: baseline analyses of the Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil)

Table 1 Characteristics of 14,893 participants in the Brazilian Longitudinal Study of Adult Health (ELSA-Brasil), 2008–2010

Characteristics	Total sample		Men		Women
Characteristics	n	%	n	%	n	%
Age (years)
35–44	3312	22.2	1543	22.8	1769	21.8
45–54	5867	39.4	2644	39.0	3223	39.7
55–64	4157	27.9	1816	26.8	2341	28.8
65–74	1557	10.5	769	11.4	788	9.7
Self-declared skin colour/race category
White	7771	52.2	3589	53.0	4182	51.5
Brown (‘pardo’)	4197	28.2	2023	29.9	2174	26.8
Black	2394	16.1	940	13.9	1454	17.9
Asian	374	2.5	128	1.9	246	3.0
Indigenous	157	1.0	92	1.3	65	0.8
Educational level
Incomplete primary education	876	5.9	551	8.2	325	4.0
Complete primary education	1019	6.8	570	8.4	449	5.5
Complete high school	5179	34.8	2250	33.2	2929	36.1
University degree	7819	52.5	3401	50.2	4418	54.4
Body mass index
Low/normal (BMI < 25 kg/m²)	5494	36.9	2312	34.2	3182	39.2
Overweight (25 ≤ BMI < 30 kg/m²)	5995	40.3	3063	45.2	2932	36.1
Obesity (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m²)	3398	22.8	1394	20.6	2004	24.7
Metabolic syndrome^a
If WC defined by JIS for ethnic Central and South Americans^b	6960	46.7	3663	54.1	3297	40.6
If WC defined by JIS for Caucasians/Europids or Sub-Saharan Africans^c	6587	44.2	3290	48.6	3297	40.6
Components of metabolic syndrome^a
Elevated WC
Defined for ethnic Central and South Americans^b	10,312	69.2	4518	66.7	5794	71.3
Defined for Caucasians/Europids or Sub-Saharan Africans^c	9365	62.9	3571	52.7	5794	71.3
Elevated fasting glucose^d	10,664	71.6	5525	81.6	5139	63.3
Elevated blood pressure^e	7637	51.3	4040	59.7	3597	44.3
Elevated triglycerides^f	4705	31.6	2806	41.4	1899	23.4
Low HDL-C^g	2807	18.8	1086	16.0	1721	21.2

WC waist circumference, HDL-C high density lipoprotein cholesterol, JIS Joint Interim Statement [7]
^a Defined by the JIS criteria, using specific WC cut-offs
^b WC ≥ 90 cm for men; ≥ 80 cm for women
^c WC ≥ 94 cm for men; ≥ 80 cm for women
^d Fasting glucose ≥ 100 mg/dL or drug treatment for elevated glucose
^e Systolic ≥ 130 mmHg and/or diastolic ≥ 80 mmHg, or antihypertensive drug treatment
^f Triglycerides ≥ 1.69 mmol/L (150 mg/dL) or drug treatment for elevated triglycerides (fibrates and nicotinic acid)
^g HDL-C < 1.03 mmol/L (40 mg/dL) for men and < 1.29 mmol/L (50 mg/dL) for women, or drug treatment for low HDL-C (fibrates and nicotinic acid)

ISSN: 1758-5996