9
Table 2. Recommended Waist Thresholds to Define
Abdominal Obesity
Region/ethnicity
a
Recommending
organization
Waist circumference
threshold for abdominal
obesity
United States AHA/NHLBI ≥102 cm in men;
≥88 cm in women
a
Europe/Europids IDF ≥94 cm in men;
≥80 cm in women
Asia AHA/NHLBI IDF ≥90 cm in men;
≥80 cm in women
b
Data are not available for Sub-Saharan Africans, Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East (Arab)
populations, and Ethnic South and Central Americans. IDF suggests using waist thresholds for
Europe/Europids for populations in these regions.
a
AHA/NHLBI guidelines indicate that waist circumference thresholds of ≥94 cm in men and
≥80 cm in women are optional in persons who show clinical evidence of insulin resistance.
b
In Japan, national recommendations for waist circumference thresholds for abdominal obesity are
≥85 cm in men and ≥90 cm in women.
Data derived from Alberti, K. G., P. Zimmet, J. Shaw and I. D. F. Epidemiolog y Task Force
Consensus Group (2005). "e metabolic syndrome–a new worldwide definition." Lancet
366(9491): 1059-1062; Grundy, S. M., J. I. Cleeman, C. N. Merz, H. B. Brewer, Jr., L. T. Clark, D.
B. Hunninghake, R. C. Pasternak, S. C. Smith, Jr. and N. J. Stone (2004). "Implications of recent
clinical trials for the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III guidelines."
Circulation 110(2): 227-239; and Examination Committee of Criteria for 'Obesity Disease' in Japan;
Japan Society for the Study of Obesity. (2002). "New criteria for 'obesity disease' in Japan." Circ J
66(11): 987-992.
