Here we see an example of a CT scan in a patient with intra-abdominal adiposity, showing the accumulation of fat around the visceral organs. CT scanning is considered to represent the �gold standard� for measurement of body fat distribution, but is too complex and costly for routine use for this purpose.

Abdominal obesity, as measured by waist circumference, correlates closely with intra-abdominal adiposity measured using CT scanning. The data shown on this slide are from a population of 81 men and 70 women.

Abdominal obesity, with diagnostic criteria based on waist circumference, is a requirement for the diagnosis of the metabolic syndrome according to the new guidelines from the International Diabetes Federation. This simple, straightforward and well-known measure should be adopted as part of standard clinical practice for diagnosing intra-abdominal adiposity which, in turn, signifies increased cardiovascular risk