Body Roundness Index (BRI) Predicts Metabolic Syndrome in Postmenopausal Women with Obesity Better than Insulin Resistance

Background/Objective: The body roundness index (BRI) has emerged as a novel anthropometric parameter with potential utility in the assessment of obesity and its associated metabolic complications. This study aimed to identify the optimal BRI cut-off point for the diagnostic process of metabolic synd...

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Main Authors: Daniel de Luis, Marife Muñoz, Olatz Izaola, Juan José Lopez Gomez, Daniel Rico, David Primo
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Diabetology
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4540/6/7/60
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author Daniel de Luis
Marife Muñoz
Olatz Izaola
Juan José Lopez Gomez
Daniel Rico
David Primo
author_facet Daniel de Luis
Marife Muñoz
Olatz Izaola
Juan José Lopez Gomez
Daniel Rico
David Primo
author_sort Daniel de Luis
collection DOAJ
description Background/Objective: The body roundness index (BRI) has emerged as a novel anthropometric parameter with potential utility in the assessment of obesity and its associated metabolic complications. This study aimed to identify the optimal BRI cut-off point for the diagnostic process of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a cohort of postmenopausal women with obesity and to compare its predictive capacity with that of the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted in 468 Caucasian postmenopausal women with obesity. Clinical and biochemical assessments included anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, insulin levels, the HOMA-IR, lipid profile, C-reactive protein, and adipokines. MetS was diagnosed according to the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) criteria. Results: MetS was identified in 270 patients (57.5%). Stratification by the median BRI revealed that individuals in the higher-BRI group had a significantly increased odds of MetS (OR 2.65; 95% CI: 1.99–3.53; <i>p</i> = 0.03). A Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the HOMA-IR had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.72 (95% CI: 0.67–0.77; <i>p</i> = 0.01), with a cut-off value of 2.64 (sensitivity: 64.9%; specificity: 69.7%). In contrast, the BRI exhibited a higher AUC of 0.75 (95% CI: 0.71–0.80; <i>p</i> = 0.001), with an optimal cut-off of 8.15, demonstrating superior sensitivity (85.6%) and specificity (72.5%). Conclusions: The BRI is a promising and practical alternative anthropometric index for identifying MetS in Caucasian postmenopausal women with obesity. Its strong association with markers of adiposity and metabolic dysregulation underscores its potential value in clinical and epidemiological settings.
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spelling doaj-art-2ed5b5cd63ae4063b4429247b588a2a32025-08-20T03:32:31ZengMDPI AGDiabetology2673-45402025-07-01676010.3390/diabetology6070060Body Roundness Index (BRI) Predicts Metabolic Syndrome in Postmenopausal Women with Obesity Better than Insulin ResistanceDaniel de Luis0Marife Muñoz1Olatz Izaola2Juan José Lopez Gomez3Daniel Rico4David Primo5Endocrinology and Nutrition Department, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Investigation, 47003 Valladolid, SpainCentre on Endocrinology and Nutrition (IEN), University of Valladolid, 47002 Valladolid, SpainEndocrinology and Nutrition Department, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Investigation, 47003 Valladolid, SpainEndocrinology and Nutrition Department, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Investigation, 47003 Valladolid, SpainCentre on Endocrinology and Nutrition (IEN), University of Valladolid, 47002 Valladolid, SpainEndocrinology and Nutrition Department, Hospital Clínico Universitario de Valladolid, Investigation, 47003 Valladolid, SpainBackground/Objective: The body roundness index (BRI) has emerged as a novel anthropometric parameter with potential utility in the assessment of obesity and its associated metabolic complications. This study aimed to identify the optimal BRI cut-off point for the diagnostic process of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in a cohort of postmenopausal women with obesity and to compare its predictive capacity with that of the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR). Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted in 468 Caucasian postmenopausal women with obesity. Clinical and biochemical assessments included anthropometric measurements, blood pressure, fasting plasma glucose, insulin levels, the HOMA-IR, lipid profile, C-reactive protein, and adipokines. MetS was diagnosed according to the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III) criteria. Results: MetS was identified in 270 patients (57.5%). Stratification by the median BRI revealed that individuals in the higher-BRI group had a significantly increased odds of MetS (OR 2.65; 95% CI: 1.99–3.53; <i>p</i> = 0.03). A Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve analysis showed that the HOMA-IR had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.72 (95% CI: 0.67–0.77; <i>p</i> = 0.01), with a cut-off value of 2.64 (sensitivity: 64.9%; specificity: 69.7%). In contrast, the BRI exhibited a higher AUC of 0.75 (95% CI: 0.71–0.80; <i>p</i> = 0.001), with an optimal cut-off of 8.15, demonstrating superior sensitivity (85.6%) and specificity (72.5%). Conclusions: The BRI is a promising and practical alternative anthropometric index for identifying MetS in Caucasian postmenopausal women with obesity. Its strong association with markers of adiposity and metabolic dysregulation underscores its potential value in clinical and epidemiological settings.https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4540/6/7/60diabetes mellitusdisease related malnutritiondiabetic sarcopeniaultrasonographybioimpedanciometry
spellingShingle Daniel de Luis
Marife Muñoz
Olatz Izaola
Juan José Lopez Gomez
Daniel Rico
David Primo
Body Roundness Index (BRI) Predicts Metabolic Syndrome in Postmenopausal Women with Obesity Better than Insulin Resistance
Diabetology
diabetes mellitus
disease related malnutrition
diabetic sarcopenia
ultrasonography
bioimpedanciometry
title Body Roundness Index (BRI) Predicts Metabolic Syndrome in Postmenopausal Women with Obesity Better than Insulin Resistance
title_full Body Roundness Index (BRI) Predicts Metabolic Syndrome in Postmenopausal Women with Obesity Better than Insulin Resistance
title_fullStr Body Roundness Index (BRI) Predicts Metabolic Syndrome in Postmenopausal Women with Obesity Better than Insulin Resistance
title_full_unstemmed Body Roundness Index (BRI) Predicts Metabolic Syndrome in Postmenopausal Women with Obesity Better than Insulin Resistance
title_short Body Roundness Index (BRI) Predicts Metabolic Syndrome in Postmenopausal Women with Obesity Better than Insulin Resistance
title_sort body roundness index bri predicts metabolic syndrome in postmenopausal women with obesity better than insulin resistance
topic diabetes mellitus
disease related malnutrition
diabetic sarcopenia
ultrasonography
bioimpedanciometry
url https://www.mdpi.com/2673-4540/6/7/60
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