Regional obesity and serum lipids in European women born in 1948. A multicenter study.

In five different cities in four European countries, women born in 1948 were randomly selected. Anthropometric measurements (i.e. circumferences and skinfolds) were taken. Serum lipids were determined in one laboratory. Different levels of waist circumferences gave different averages and distribution of waist/hip ratio, which confirms the need of precise standardization of these measurements. Women in southern parts of Europe were more overweight than in Northern Europe (partly due to selection bias in Naples) and, when adjusted for that, southern women had a more central distribution of fat (higher waist/thigh, lower triceps/subscapula). When data were pooled, circumference ratios were positively correlated with triglycerides and total cholesterol and negatively with HDL cholesterol. Occupation of husband and body mass index were associated with fat distribution and triglycerides and HDL cholesterol. In multiple regression fat distribution was still correlated with serum lipids but differences in serum lipids between countries did not diminish.