Because there is no uniformly accepted measurement protocol for waist circumference, this study determined: 1- whether waist circumference sites (iliac crest, midpoint between the iliac crest and lowest rib, umbilicus and minimal waist) are differentially associated with cardiometabolic risk factors; 2- whether the waist measurement sites had an influence on the prevalence of the metabolic syndrome. The sample included 520 community-dwelling adults (208 men and 312 women). Globally, the magnitude and direction of associations between cardiometabolic risk factors and waist circumference measurement sites were similar. The proportions of subjects with the metabolic syndrome varied according to the measurement site, particularly in women, although no statistically significant differences were observed. Nevertheless, efforts should be made to standardize the measurement protocol of waist circumference.
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