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Cited by 1,074Body Composition Measurement TechniquesDiabetes, Cardiovascular Risks, and LipoproteinsCardiovascular Disease and Adiposity

Relationships between body roundness with body fat and visceral adipose tissue emerging from a new geometrical model: Body Roundness with Body Fat & Visceral Adipose Tissue

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Thomas, Diana M., Bredlau, Carl, Bosy-Westphal, Anja, Mueller, Manfred, Shen, Wei, Gallagher, Dympna, Maeda, Yuna, McDougall, Andrew +3 more·2013·Obesity
DOI 10.1002/oby.20408PMC PMC3692604
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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To develop a new geometrical index that combines height, waist circumference (WC), and hip circumference (HC) and relate this index to total and visceral body fat. DESIGN AND METHODS: Subject data were pooled from three databases that contained demographic, anthropometric, dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) measured fat mass, and magnetic resonance imaging measured visceral adipose tissue (VAT) volume. Two elliptical models of the human body were developed. Body roundness was calculated from the model using a well-established constant arising from the theory. Regression models based on eccentricity and other variables were used to predict %body fat and %VAT. RESULTS: A body roundness index (BRI) was derived to quantify the individual body shape in a height-independent manner. Body roundness slightly improved predictions of %body fat and %VAT compared to the traditional metrics of body mass index (BMI), WC, or HC. On this basis, healthy body roundness ranges were established. An automated graphical program simulating study results was placed at http://www.pbrc.edu/bodyroundness. CONCLUSION: BRI, a new shape measure, is a predictor of %body fat and %VAT and can be applied as a visual tool for health status evaluations.

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  • BRI was developed by Thomas et al. in 2013 based on fat mass measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and visceral fat measured by magnetic resonance imaging, along with waist circumference and height.

    “BRI was developed by Thomas et al. [11] in 2013 based on fat mass measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry and visceral fat measured by magnetic resonance imaging, along with waist circumference and height.”

    From The discriminatory ability of the body roundness index and body mass index for metabolic diseases in Korean adults: a comparative study (2025) · cites this paper as [11]

    The Elliptical Models and Body Roundness Index sections describe BRI as a transformation of an ellipse’s eccentricity, calculated using height and waist circumference. The Subjects and Design and Methods sections report DXA-measured body fat and MRI-measured visceral fat, but these measurements were used to develop and assess prediction models, not to calculate BRI itself. The claim conflates those roles. (LLM, conf=0.87)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • BRI incorporates additional body shape dimensions, including WC and height, to evaluate obesity and its associated health risks.

    “Unlike conventional obesity-related anthropometric indices such as BMI, which primarily consider weight and height, BRI incorporates additional body shape dimensions, including WC and height, to accurately evaluate obesity and its associated health risks [10].”

    From Effectiveness of body roundness index for the prediction of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2025) · cites this paper as [10]

    The Introduction describes BRI as a measure of body girth relative to height, and the Results report slightly improved predictions of body fat and visceral adipose tissue compared with BMI. But the Discussion says it remains to be shown how BRI relates to mortality and other health markers, so the claim that it accurately evaluates associated health risks goes beyond the paper's findings. No page numbers are available in our copy. (LLM, conf=0.88)

    Experimental — accuracy not yet measured

  • The Body Roundness Index (BRI) offers a superior estimation of body fat distribution and visceral adiposity than other traditional anthropometric measures.

    “Introduced in 2013, the Body Roundness Index (BRI) offers a superior estimation of body fat distribution and visceral adiposity than other traditional anthropometric measures15,16.”

    From The nonlinear association between body roundness index and infertility in married women (2025) · cites this paper as [15]

  • The body roundness index is linked to body fat and visceral adipose tissue.

    “Additionally, the body roundness index (BRI) [14], a novel index calculated by a specific formula (1), ranges from 1 to 16 and is linked to body fat and visceral adipose tissue.”

    From Machine learning with the body roundness index and associated indicators: a new approach to predicting metabolic syndrome (2025) · cites this paper as [14]

  • In 2013, Thomas DM and colleagues presented the body roundness index (BRI) as a predictor of visceral adiposity tissue and body fat percentage.

    “In 2013, Thomas DM and colleagues presented the body roundness index (BRI) as a predictor of visceral adiposity tissue and body fat percentage [10].”

    From Effectiveness of body roundness index for the prediction of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis (2025) · cites this paper as [10]

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Authors
Thomas, D. M., Bredlau, C., Bosy-Westphal, A., Mueller, M., Shen, W., Gallagher, D., Maeda, Y., McDougall, A., Peterson, C. M., Ravussin, E., & Heymsfield, S. B.
Affiliations
  • Montclair State University (US)
  • Institute of Human Nutrition and Food Science; Christian-Albrechts University; Kiel Germany
  • Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel (DE)
  • St. Luke's-Roosevelt Hospital Center (US)
  • Pennington Biomedical Research Center (US)
  • Pennington Biomedical Research Center; Baton Rouge LA USA
Corresponding author
Thomas, Diana M.
ORCID
Venue
Obesity
Publisher
Wiley
Published
2013-06-11
Volume
21
Issue
11
Pages
2264-2271
ISSN
1930-7381 (ISSN-L)
DOI
10.1002/oby.20408
PMC
PMC3692604
OpenAlex
W1601494409
Cited by
1,074
References
2
Citations by year
2026: 269 · 2025: 350 · 2024: 146 · 2023: 75 · 2022: 71 · 2021: 60 · 2020: 28 · 2019: 23 · 2018: 25 · 2017: 10 · 2016: 9 · 2015: 5 · 2014: 3
FWCI
3.95
Type
journal article
Language
en
Open access
Licence
Locations
  • Obesity (publishedVersion)
  • PubMed (publishedVersion)
  • Europe PMC (PubMed Central) (acceptedVersion)
  • PubMed Central (acceptedVersion)
Funders
  • National Institutes of Health
  • Nutrition Obesity Research Center, University of North Carolina
  • National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (R15DK090739, DK064584, DK094418, U01DK094418, P30DK026687, T32DK064584, P30DK072476)
Topics
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Physiology › Body Composition Measurement Techniques
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism › Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risks, and Lipoproteins
  • Health Sciences › Medicine › Cardiology and Cardiovascular Medicine › Cardiovascular Disease and Adiposity
Keywords
body roundness index, body shape, visceral adipose tissue, body fat percentage, waist circumference, hip circumference, eccentricity, anthropometric indices, body mass index
MeSH terms
Adipose Tissue, Adult, Aged, Body Weights and Measures, Female, Health Status Indicators, Humans, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Male, Middle Aged, Models, Biological, Somatotypes, Absorptiometry, Photon, Intra-Abdominal Fat, Adiposity, Waist Circumference, Young Adult

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