Evaluating CMR

Sagittal Diameter, Health Risk, and Intra-abdominal Fat

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Figure 1: Relationship between intra-abdominal fat with waist circumference (A) and sagittal diameter (B)

Figure 1: Relationship between intra-abdominal fat with waist circumference (A) and sagittal diameter (B)

The abdominal sagittal diameter is associated with cardiovascular disease (1) and mortality (2). There is some evidence to suggest that abdominal sagittal diameter is more useful than waist circumference in assessing health risk (3-5), although study findings have been inconsistent in this regard (6-9). In general, most studies show that sagittal diameter and waist circumference are similarly linked to health risk. Most studies also report that waist circumference and abdominal sagittal diameter are similarly linked to intra-abdominal (visceral) fat (Figure 1) (9-14). To date, there are no established sagittal diameter values to denote health risk and/or abdominal obesity. However, it has been suggested that sagittal diameters over 25 cm may worsen one’s health profile (9). Currently, waist circumference is a more common measure of abdominal obesity in clinical settings, perhaps due to simplicity of measurement. Moreover, it is unclear whether measures of abdominal sagittal diameter provide any clear advantage over waist circumference alone. Nevertheless, abdominal sagittal diameter is a simple, inexpensive tool that can be used to assess abdominal obesity and related health risk.

Reference

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1. Empana JP, Ducimetiere P, Charles MA, et al. Sagittal abdominal diameter and risk of sudden death in asymptomatic middle-aged men: the Paris Prospective Study I. Circulation 2004; 110: 2781-5.

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3. Petersson H, Daryani A and Riserus U. Sagittal abdominal diameter as a marker of inflammation and insulin resistance among immigrant women from the Middle East and native Swedish women: a cross-sectional study. Cardiovascular Diabetology 2007; 6: 10.

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5. Riserus U, Arnlov J, Brismar K, et al. Sagittal abdominal diameter is a strong anthropometric marker of insulin resistance and hyperproinsulinemia in obese men. Diabetes Care 2004; 27: 2041-6.

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10. Han TS, McNeill G, Seidell JC, et al. Predicting intra-abdominal fatness from anthropometric measures: the influence of stature. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 1997; 21: 587-93.

11. Després JP, Prud'homme D, Pouliot MC, et al. Estimation of deep abdominal adipose-tissue accumulation from simple anthropometric measurements in men. Am J Clin Nutr 1991; 54: 471-7.

12. Seidell JC, Bjorntorp P, Sjostrom L, et al. Regional distribution of muscle and fat mass in men--new insight into the risk of abdominal obesity using computed tomography. Int J Obes 1989; 13: 289-303.

13. Ross R, Shaw KD, Rissanen J, et al. Sex differences in lean and adipose tissue distribution by magnetic resonance imaging: anthropometric relationships. Am J Clin Nutr 1994; 59: 1277-85.

14. Onat A, Avci GS, Barlan MM, et al. Measures of abdominal obesity assessed for visceral adiposity and relation to coronary risk. Int J Obes Relat Metab Disord 2004; 28: 1018-25.

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