Body fat percentage cutoffs for risk of cardiometabolic abnormalities in the Chinese adult population: a nationwide study

Background/Objectives The direct assessment of body fat (BF) by using simple methods might be an alternative index of obesity. We aim to investigate the optimal cutoffs of the %BF relating to metabolic disorders and cardiovascular risks in China. Subjects/Methods The data were from the 2007-2008 China National Diabetes and Metabolic Disorders Study. Participants with age of 20-75 years and with a BF measurement record were included. The %BF was measured using a foot-to-foot bioelectrical impedance analysis. Receiver operating characteristic curve was used to decide the optimal %BF cutoffs for predicting the risk of diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome (MetS), and 10-year cardiovascular events (estimated by Framingham risk score (FRS)). Results A total of 23,769 participants were enrolled with the mean age of 44.88 years, the male percentage of 40.59%, and the mean %BF of 25.22%. The mean %BFs of subjects who had diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and FRS >= 10% were higher than those without diabetes, hypertension, metabolic syndrome, and FRS >= 10%, respectively. In men, the optimal %BF cutoffs for these four endpoints were 24.50%, 24.90%, 24.21%, and 22.10%, respectively. In women, they were 35.69%, 32.50%, 32.60%, and 32.31%, respectively. On the basis of the weights of these endpoints, the pooled optimal %BF cutoff was 23.67% and 32.88% in men and women, respectively. Conclusions We suggest the optimal foot-to-foot BIA-measured %BF cutoffs for predicting risk of cardiometabolic abnormalities to be 24% and 33% in Chinese men and women, respectively.