Food & Nutrition

Arab Journal of Food & Nutrition
strongest predictive power for identifying subjects with MS in men and women. WHtR
appears to be the best indicator of central obesity in women and individuals of short
stature. BMI had the weakest predictive power for identifying subjects with MS in
both genders. Serum leptin levels had the highest correlation with BMI and poorest
correlation with WHpR in both genders, and were shown to predict the development of
MS independent of obesity. Serum UA levels had the highest correlation with BMI in
both genders, and hyperuricemia had a good diagnostic value in predicting the
development of MS in women only. Serum leptin levels had a positive correlation with
insulin resistance and hypertension in both genders. Serum UA had a positive
correlation with insulin resistance and hypertension in women only.
Ultimately, the findings of this study do support the importance of the inclusion
of WHtR and serum levels of leptin and uric acid as diagnostic tools for metabolic
syndrome. However, since this study is the first to address such relationship, the
significance of its results demands further investigation.
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Volume 11, No. 25, 2011
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