Waist and hip circumferences have independent and opposite effects on cardiovascular disease risk factors: the Quebec Family Study.

BACKGROUND A high waist-to-hip ratio is associated with unfavorable cardiovascular disease risk factors. This could be due to either a relatively large waist or a small hip girth. OBJECTIVE We sought to define the separate contributions of waist girth, hip girth, and body mass index (BMI) to measures of body composition, fat distribution, and cardiovascular disease risk factors. DESIGN Three-hundred thirteen men and 382 women living in the greater Quebec City area were involved in this cross-sectional study. Percentage body fat, anthropometric measurements, and abdominal fat distribution were obtained and BMI (in kg/m2) and waist-to-hip ratio were calculated. Serum blood lipids were determined from blood samples collected after subjects had fasted overnight RESULTS A large waist circumference in men and women (adjusted for age, BMI, and hip circumference) was associated significantly with low HDL-cholesterol concentrations (P < 0.05) and high fasting triacylglycerol, insulin, and glucose concentrations (P < 0.01). In women alone, a large waist circumference was also associated with high LDL-cholesterol concentrations and blood pressure. A narrow hip circumference (adjusted for age, BMI, and waist circumference) was associated with low HDL-cholesterol and high glucose concentrations in men (P < 0.05) and high triacylglycerol and insulin concentrations in men and women (P < 0.05). Waist and hip girths showed different relations to body fat, fat-free mass, and visceral fat accumulation. CONCLUSIONS Waist and hip circumferences measure different aspects of body composition and fat distribution and have independent and often opposite effects on cardiovascular disease risk factors. A narrow waist and large hips may both protect against cardiovascular disease. These specific effects of each girth measure are poorly captured in the waist-to-hip ratio.