Reference values of body adiposity measures and hand digit ratio (2D:4D) for dyslipidemia: A case study of the Hausa ethnic group in Kano, Nigeria

BACKGROUND: Dyslipidemia is an important component of the metabolic syndrome (MetS) and constitutes a leading cause of cardio-metabolic-related deaths globally. There are currently ongoing efforts to define upper reference values (URVs) of anthropometric parameters for the components of MetS in different ethnic groups. OBJECTIVES: The aim of the present study was to determine URV of digit ratio (2D:4D) and body adiposity measures for dyslipidemia in Hausas of Kano. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This was a cross-sectional observational study involving 465 (266 males and 199 females) Hausas of Kano, with a mean age of 34.4 years and 32.0 years for males and females, respectively. Systematic random sampling technique was employed. Adiposity indices were measured using standard anthropometric techniques. Serum lipids were measured using standard laboratory analyses of overnight fasting serum sample. Data were described using a mean and SD. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve and Younden Index were used to determine URV. RESULTS: In male and female participants, the waist-to-hip ratio had the largest area under the ROC curve (AUROCC) with the highest sensitivity and specificity for total cholesterol, triglyceride, and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, while neck circumference and body adiposity index had the lowest AUROC curve with lower sensitivity and specificity. CONCLUSION: Hand digit ratio (2D:4D) has a URV for dyslipidemia. The URV of adiposity indices for Hausa ethnic group of Kano for abnormal serum lipids is different from the popularly adopted URV for estimating the risk of MetS.