Objective

The present study aimed to compare various anthropometric indices for identifying metabolic risks among Mexican adults.

Methodology

The study was conducted using data from the ENSANUT-2016 survey and focused on individuals aged 20 and above. A questionnaire was administered, and anthropometric measurements (weight, height, and waist circumference) as well as blood samples were collected. Anthropometric indices (AI) were calculated, and sensitivity, specificity, and confidence intervals were determined. The Odds Ratio of each AI was evaluated, adjusting for age and sex to assess the predictive value of the cut-off points.

Results

Among women, body mass index (BMI) predicts a 2.2-fold increase in the occurrence of high fasting glucose, a 1.7-fold increase in the presence of high blood pressure (HBP), a 2.4-fold increase in the risk of decreased HDL-cholesterol, and a 3.0-fold increase in the probability of metabolic syndrome (MS) (p=0.000). In men, waist-to- height ratio (WHR) predicts a 2.5-fold increase in the probability of elevated fasting glucose, a 0.9-fold increase in HBP, and a strong correlation with waist circumference (75.9%).

Conclusions

This study is the first cross-sectional analysis to compare the effective-ness of anthropometric indices (AI) in identifying cardio-metabolic risk factors (CRF) or MS in Mexican adults. The findings of this analysis highlight the discriminative capability of AI for the Mexican population, suggesting their usefulness in evaluating CRF or MS. Therefore, it is recommended to utilize these indices for assessing CRF or MS in Mexican adults.