LDL cholesterol was more strongly associated with percent body fat than body mass index and waist circumference in a health screening population

Abstract

Aims: To compare correlations between changes in cardiovascular risk factors and those in obesity indices and to compare associations with incident hyper-LDL cholesterolemia among obesity indices.

Methods: Correlation coefficients were calculated between 7-year changes in cardiovascular risk factors and those in body mass index (BMI), waist circumference (WC) and percent body fat (PBF) in 634 men and 396 women who used no antihypertensive, antidiabetic or antihyperlipidemic drugs. Odds ratios of incident hyper-LDL cholesterolemia after 7 years were calculated for BMI, WC and PBF in 738 men and 388 women.

Results: There were no significant differences in the correlations with 7-year changes in cardiovascular risk factors between 7-year changes in BMI and WC. The correlation with 7-year change in LDL cholesterol was stronger for that in PBF than that in BMI or WC (p=0.021 or 0.089, respectively in men and 0.022 or 0.020, respectively in women). The correlations with 7-year changes in log triglycerides, HDL cholesterol and log high-sensitivity CRP were stronger for those in BMI and WC than that in PBF in men. Incident hyper-LDL cholesterolemia after 7 years was significantly associated with PBF, but not BMI or WC, in men after adjusted for age and other covariates. However, the association was not significant after further adjusted for LDL cholesterol.

Conclusions: The correlation with 7-year change in LDL cholesterol was stronger for that in PBF than that in BMI or WC. Incident hyper-LDL cholesterolemia was significantly associated with PBF, but not with BMI or WC, in men.

Keywords: Body mass index; Cardiovascular risk factors; LDL cholesterol; Percent body fat; Waist circumference.