Superiority of the body roundness index over BMI in linking central adiposity with vitamin D3: A cross-sectional study in Iraqi adults | Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Skip to main content Skip to main navigation menu Skip to site footer Open Menu Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 Home Food Science Publisher Functional Food Center Current Archives About About the Journal Aims and Scope Contact Editing Services Editorial Team Express Peer Review Graphical Abstract Journal Insights Privacy Statement Submissions Announcements Search Search Register Login Home / Archives / Vol. 15 No. 11 (2025): November 2025 / Research Articles Superiority of the body roundness index over BMI in linking central adiposity with vitamin D3: A cross-sectional study in Iraqi adults Authors Sura Talal Kadhim Duaa Mohammed Al-Atta Monaf Faik Ahmeed Al Samarraee DOI: https://doi.org/10.31989/ffhd.v15i11.1798 Abstract Background: Body mass index is a poor measure of central adiposity. The Body Roundness Index may be a better measure, although data for Middle Eastern adults are limited.  Objectives: To investigate the association of animal-fat consumption with adiposity indices as well as vitamin D3, and compare BRI with BMI as a marker of body fat in Iraqi adults.  Methods: We used dietary questionnaires, anthropometry, and bioelectrical impedance to estimate visceral fat area and serum vitamin D3 in a cross-sectional study of 527 adults. Correlation and regression analyses were performed.  Results: There was no association between animal-fat intake and the adiposity indices or vitamin D3. In contrast with BMI, BRI presented a quite strong inverse correlation with vitamin D3 (r = –0.497, p < 0.001). Visceral fat area was not predicted by any of the indices.  Novelty explicit: In this adult sample from Iraq, BRI is more helpful than BMI for detecting central adiposity, which is associated with vitamin D3 insufficiency; as a result, BRI may be a better screening tool in a clinical and epidemiological context.  Conclusion: BRI was a better indicator of metabolic risk associated with adiposity than BMI. In both clinical and epidemiological settings, it might be a beneficial screening tool for central adiposity and Vitamin D deficiency. Keywords: Body Roundness Index; Vitamin D3; Visceral fat; Body Mass Index; Adiposity. Downloads [Abstract] [Full Article] Published 2025-11-03 Issue Vol. 15 No. 11 (2025): November 2025 Section Research Articles License Copyright (c) 2025 Functional Foods in Health and Disease - Online ISSN: 2160-3855; Print ISSN: 2378-7007 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License. Authors retain the copyright of their articles and grant the Functional Food Center (FFC) and its journals the right of first publication under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, including commercial use, provided the original author(s) and source are properly credited. Authors may post and share their published work freely, provided that the original publication in this journal is acknowledged. By submitting to this journal, authors confirm that their manuscripts are original, not under consideration elsewhere, and that they hold the necessary rights to grant this license. The Functional Food Center encourages open scientific exchange and allows derivative and extended works, provided attribution to the original publication is maintained. About the Journal      Editing Services      Graphical Abstract      Journal Insights        Submissions        Editorial Team       Privacy Statement        Contact        Current        Archives   Open Journal Systems Hosting and Support by: OpenJournalSystems.com