Which obesity index is more compatible in predicting metabolic syndrome? A population based study?

Background Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of cardiometabolic factors predisposing to diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Purpose The purpose of this study was to compare the different indexes, including the obesity index, the lipid accumulation product index (LAP), and the cardiometabolic index (CMI) to predict the MS. Methods A total of 2708 individuals, aged 35 to 69 years were included came in a community based cross-sectional survey from in Great Tunis. Waist circumferences (WC), body mass index (BMI), waist-to-hip ratio (WHR), waist-to-height ratio (WHtR) were determined. LAP and CMI were calculated. MS was defined using 3 different definitions: the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel (NCEP-ATP) III, National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute/American Heart Association (NHLBI/AHA), and International Diabetes Federation (IDF). Results The prevalence of MS is 30.4%, 38.2%, 35.2% from NCEP-ATP, IDF and AHA//NHLBI criteria respectively. CMI showed better area under the curve (AUC) for MS in three different criteria (AUC = 0.873 (NCEP-ATP), AUC = 0.850 (IDF), AUC = 0.858 (AHA//NHLBI)) than the others indexes: LAP, WHtR, WC, BMI and WHR. Even after adjustment of age, gender, current smoking, family history of cardiovascular diseases, educational status, CMI showed better area under the curve (AUC = 0.895 (NCEP-ATP), AUC = 0.879 (IDF) and AUC = 0.891 (AHA//NHLBI). Conclusion Independent of age and gender, CMI is good predictor factor in the diagnosis of the MS.