Body adiposity index as a risk factor for the metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal Caucasian, African American, and Filipina women

AimsTo investigate the utility of the body adiposity index (BAI) and its association with the metabolic syndrome (MetS) in older Caucasian (n = 369), African American (n = 336) and Filipina (n = 275) women.MethodsDual energy X-ray absorptiometry, anthropometric measures, plasma glucose and medical history were assessed in 1993–1999.ResultsDespite smaller body size, 32.7% of Filipina women had higher MetS compared to African American and Caucasian women based on the National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) (32.7% vs 19.6% and 13.3%, respectively) or the International Diabetes Federation (IDF) (42.6% vs 33.0% and 18.7%, respectively ps < 0.05). BAI had higher positive correlations with BMI, %body fat (%BF), and %truncal fat in Caucasian than African American and Filipina women. Adjusted for age, smoking, estrogen use, exercise, and alcohol intake, odds of the MetS (NCEP) were 2.08 (95%CI: 1.52–2.85) by BAI, 3.04 (95%CI: 2.11–4.38) by BMI, and 2.13 (95%CI: 1.52–3.00) by %BF for Caucasian women; 0.92 (95%CI: 0.69–1.23) by BAI, 1.44 (95%CI: 1.09–1.90) by BMI, and 1.12 (95%CI: 0.84–1.50) by %BF for African American women; and 1.14 (95%CI: 0.88–1.47) by BAI, 1.51 (95%CI: 1.15–1.97) by BMI, and 0.96 (95%CI: 0.74–1.25) by %BF for Filipinas.ConclusionBAI was better able to assess adiposity in postmenopausal Caucasian women compared to African American and Filipina women. This index can distinguish ethnic differences in MetS confirmed by %BF.