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Diabetes, Cardiovascular Risks, and Lipoproteins · Journal article
Scientific Reports · August 17, 2026
Encouraging direction, but not yet definitive.
This cross-sectional study of 16,768 Iranian adults found that each 1-SD increase in ABSI Z-score was significantly associated with higher systolic and diastolic blood pressure, fasting blood sugar, and lower HDL-C, and with 8–16% increased odds of dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease. The findings support ABSI as a marker of cardiometabolic risk in a Middle Eastern population, but the observational design precludes causal attribution and generalizability requires validation in other populations.
Cross-sectional survey with systematic cluster random sampling. Iranian adults enrolled in the 2021 Stepwise Approach to NCD Risk Factor Surveillance; 16,768 participants (9,634 male, 7,152 female) with mean age 47.7 ± 13.6 years.. Intervention: ABSI Z-score (calculated anthropometric index of central obesity). Compared with: Standard reference distribution for ABSI Z-score calculation; no explicit comparator group. n = 16,768. Iran (national surveillance system).
Each 1-SD increase in ABSI Z-score associated with SBP β = 1.11 (95% CI: 0.77, 1.45), DBP β = 0.44 (0.22, 0.67), and FBS β = 0.85 (0.20, 1.51) ABSI Z-score associated with inverse relationship to HDL-C: β = −0.34 (−0.79, −0.59) 1-SD ABSI increase: dyslipidemia OR = 1.16 (1.08, 1.24), hypertension OR = 1.14 (1.09, 1.20), diabetes OR = 1.14 (1.04, 1.25), CVD OR = 1.14 (1.09, 1.20), CKD OR = 1.08 (1.00, 1.16)
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ABSI Z-score shows modest but consistent associations with multiple cardiometabolic risk factors and NCDs in this Iranian population. Clinicians should interpret this as preliminary evidence that ABSI may complement existing anthropometric indices, but further prospective studies and validation in other populations are needed before recommending routine clinical adoption.
Large cross-sectional survey with clear associations between ABSI and multiple NCD risk factors, but observational design limits causal inference and generalizability beyond Iran.
As stated by the source record.
Quoted from the source exactly as published.
ABSI Z-score shows modest but consistent associations with multiple cardiometabolic risk factors and NCDs in this Iranian population. Clinicians should interpret this as preliminary evidence that ABSI may complement existing anthropometric indices, but further prospective studies and validation in other populations are needed before recommending routine clinical adoption.
Graded across the dimensions that decide whether you should act, each from what the source actually supports. There is no single score, and where a dimension was not assessed it says so.
Non-communicable diseases (NCDs) are major global health problems. The A Body Shape Index (ABSI) has been proposed as an indicator of central obesity and cardio metabolic risk, but evidence on its association with multiple NCDs is still limited. The aim of this study is to examine the association between the Z-score of the A Body Shape Index (ABSI) and a comprehensive panel of non-communicable disease (NCDs) risk factors within the Iranian adult population. This cross-sectional study used data from the 2021 Iranian Stepwise Approach to NCD Risk Factor Surveillance (STEPS), based on systematic cluster random sampling. Assessed NCDs included dyslipidemia, hypertension, diabetes mellitus (DM), cardiovascular disease (CVD), and chronic kidney disease (CKD). The anthropometric parameter examined was ABSI Z-score. Data included physical measurements, laboratory results, and demographics. Statistical analyses comprised chi-square tests, ANOVA, and univariable and multivariable linear and logistic regressions. The study included 16,768 participants. Mean age of 47.7 ± 13.6 years. Of these, 9,634 (57.4%) were male and 7,152 (42.6%) were female. Each 1-SD increase in the ABSI Z-score was significantly associated with higher systolic blood pressure (SBP) (β = 1.11, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.77, 1.45), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) (β = 0.44; 0.22, 0.67), and fasting blood sugar (FBS) (β = 0.85; 0.20, 1.51), while an inverse association was observed with high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (β = −0.34; −0.79, − 0.59). No significant associations were found with low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), triglycerides (TG), total cholesterol (TC), glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), or estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR). Higher ABSI Z Score significantly increased the risk for dyslipidemia (OR = 1.31; 1.15, 1.49), hypertension (OR = 1.26; 1.15, 1.40), DM (OR = 1.33; 1.12, 1.59), CVDs (OR = 1.27; 1.07, 1.51), and CKD (OR = 1.20; 1.04, 1.39). Each 1-SD increase in ABSI Z score was associated 16% higher risk for dyslipidemia (OR = 1.16; 1.08, 1.24) a 14% for hypertension (OR = 1.14; 1.09, 1.20), a 14% for DM (OR = 1.14; 1.04, 1.25), a 14 for CVDs (OR = 1.14; 1.09, 1.20), and 8% for CKD (OR = 1.08; 1.00, 1.16). The ABSI was significantly associated with several NCDs in this cross-sectional study, including hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and chronic kidney disease among Iranian adults. Further studies are needed to confirm these findings and explore the potential role of ABSI in clinical practice.
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