['Central obesity measured by waist circumference is a cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factor; however, the waist circumference of risk in populations of African descent has not been identified. The International Diabetes Federation currently suggests that cutoffs established in men of European descent be applied to sub-Saharan men-a waist circumference ≥94\u2009cm.', 'Participants were 203 South African black men with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM). They were divided into quartiles of waist circumference (>88\u2009cm, 88-94\u2009cm, 95-103\u2009cm, >103\u2009cm). Cardiovascular risk factors, including insulin resistance (IR), measured by modified homeostasis model assessement of IR (HOMA-IR), and the triglycerides-to-high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (TG-to-HDL-C) ratio, were compared across quartiles.', 'Age, duration of diabetes, glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c), blood pressure, urinary albumin excretion, and smoking were similar across waist circumference quartiles. Overall, for both lipids and measures of IR, there was variation across waist circumference quartiles, but no significant differences between quartiles 2 and 3. Therefore, data from these two quartiles were pooled. Between the first and second+third (88-103\u2009cm) quartiles, there were significant differences in HDL-C (1.30±0.43, 1.10±0.43\u2009mmol/L, P=0.003), TG (medians 1.10, 1.60\u2009mmol/L P<0.001), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C; 2.40±0.93, 2.85±1.03\u2009mmol/L, P=0.01), non-HDL-C (3.05±1.18, 3.70±1.16\u2009mmol/L, P=0.002), HOMA-IR (medians 0.90, 2.10, P<0.001), and TG-to-HDL-C ratio (medians 0.89, 1.17, P<0.001). Additional comparisons were made between men with waist circumference <90\u2009cm and 90-93\u2009cm. Values for each lipid and for IR parameters were more favorable in the <90-cm group (all P<0.05).'] Is the waist circumference of risk in black South african men lower than in men of European ancestry?