Optimal cut-off points for waist circumference in the definition of metabolic syndrome: a cross-sectional study in rural Bangladesh

OBJECTIVE: To determine optimal waist circumference (WC) cut-off points for identifying metabolic syndrome (MetS) in Bangladeshi adults, with the aim of enhancing diagnostic accuracy specific to this population. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis. SETTING: Rural community in Chandra, Bangladesh. PARTICIPANTS: A total of 2293 adults aged 20 years and older. PRIMARY AND SECONDARY OUTCOME MEASURES: MetS was defined using the modified National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III criteria. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and Youden's Index were used to identify WC cut-off points that maximised sensitivity and specificity for diagnosing MetS. Restricted cubic spline regression was employed to explore the non-linear relationship between WC and MetS risk. RESULTS: The optimal WC cut-off points for predicting MetS were 90 cm for…