author = {ElKafrawi, Nabil. and Shoaib, Ahmed. and Abd Elaal Elghanam, Mostafa.}, title = {{Measurement of waist circumference as a screening tool for type 2 diabetes mellitus in female patients}}, journal ={Menoufia Medical Journal}, volume ={30}, number ={1}, pages = {168-173}, doi = {10.4103/1110-2098.211528}, year = {2017}, abstract ={ Background Obesity is a major health problem worldwide. Visceral obesity and the pattern of fat distribution have important implications on the risk of developing metabolic diseases, mainly type 2 diabetes mellitus (DM) and heart disease. Objective The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between obesity and central fat distribution (visceral obesity) and development of type 2 DM in women. Patients and methods This study included 200 women of different ages with their BMI more than 25 kg/m2 and waist circumference (WC) over 88 cm with or without a confirmed diagnosis of DM. Fasting blood glucose level, 2-h postprandial blood glucose level, HbA1c, and serum lipid pattern were measured. The approval of the medical ethics committee of El Mahalla and El Minshawi General Hospital and patient consent were taken before laboratory investigations were conducted on the patients. Results The prevalence of type 2 DM in the studied patients was 22%. The study showed statistically significant positive correlation between fasting glucose levels, 2-h postprandial blood glucose levels, total cholesterol, and triglycerides with both BMI and WC. It also proved that WC is a better method than BMI in the prediction of type 2 DM. Conclusion Obesity with a high WC is a major risk factor for the development of type 2 DM in women. WC is considered a better and more convenient method than BMI in the prediction of type 2 DM. }, URL ={http://www.mmj.eg.net/article.asp?issn=1110-2098;year=2017;volume=30;issue=1;spage=168;epage=173;aulast=ElKafrawi;t=6}, eprint ={http://www.mmj.eg.net/article.asp?issn=1110-2098;year=2017;volume=30;issue=1;spage=168;epage=173;aulast=ElKafrawi;t=6} }